Hi Steve,
I'm a little written out, but thanks for the kind words.
As to this:
you might apply it to the unit described in the first paragraph of this post, Eh, Marc ...:from SB
How does understanding the concept of value chain analysis apply to analyzing political/religious groups?
cuz, "Sir", I'ze just about thought out as to civil affairs.I'm happy to see that the Local Governance-Local Populace Section of the Ad Hoc SWC Civil Affairs Team (created by Steve the Surfer -) is on the same page.
But not quite. The value added chain seems a logical extension of profit centers and good cost accounting by adding to the equation (in what only could be a "fuzzy pattern"): the surplus value of labor; the surplus value of capital investment; and the surplus value of a functional multi-link chain. Marx is now rolling in his grave.
I liked the diamond cutter example from the Wiki on Value Chain:
Now, my local brewery union president daddy would say (if still alive): "If management sees the value of the diamond cutter, pretty soon the diamond cutter will see it too. So, unless diamond cutters can be picked up for a dollar, the diamond cutter should ask for a fiver; but the diamond cutter can't be a pig cuz otherwise the company will shut down and the diamond cutter will be out cutting sheep balls, which don't pay even a dollar."The chain of activities gives the products more added value than the sum of added values of all activities. It is important not to mix the concept of the value chain with the costs occurring throughout the activities. A diamond cutter can be used as an example of the difference. The cutting activity may have a low cost, but the activity adds much of the value to the end product, since a rough diamond is significantly less valuable than a cut diamond.
So, "Sir", what terms of endearment are you offering your team - so I won't have to cut sheep equipment with my teeth as Errol Flynn claimed in his autobio.
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More seriously, the Value Chain concept probably has added value, but I'll leave it to bright management types to explain in rational detail how it could be applied to Special Operations Warfare and Counter-Special Operations Warfare.
Next item is Microtargeting. In a post a few months ago, I suggested keeping Karl Rove and David Axelrod in solitary confinement until they came up with a plan to solve the local governance issues in Astan - or admit in a bi-partisan spirit that we lack the capabilities to do so and then should get out of Dodge. What I implied is their knowledge of political microtargeting.
So, yes, microtargeting at the local level is what the "Narrative" and its "Causes" are all about - Mao's "from the people, to the people" (see John McCuen, The Art of Counter-Revolutionary War, pp.54-64 "Mobilizing the Masses"). That Narrative has to flow up and down (villages, district, provinces, nation); and it has to be implemented. Otherwise, you are left only with military force - that might win (as Wilf has often proved); but it is not a complete solution.
As to Limbo World, I'm not big on spilling my own blood and guts, or those belonging to someone else, solely for preservation of a Westphalian state, or worse yet to build one - one exception, the US, cuz It is mine and I am its. If the US fell apart, I guess I'd become a Yooper and work from there.
More directly, I believe we should learn the Management of Chaos (yes, I ripped off Naji's Management of Savagery). Let them take their own paths and see where it leads. If they become actual threats to the US then more corrective measures might be necessary. Perhaps, in these failed, failing and quasi states, we should be looking for alliances with NGOs (as to which, Legrange has his theories), as opposed to overt intervention and attempted nation building.
As to the last item, the brethren in Egypt split with AQ on the issue of addressing the near enemy (the Egyptian government) vs the far enemy (the US government); and also turned to the political struggle as their primary effort. That is one page out of the Maududi playbook. Whether the other pages will be left on the shelf - the future shall tell. As to this:
Trust, but verify thrice (credits: an anonymous FinlanderAfter the announcement of his election by the group's Shura Council on Saturday, Mr Badi told members: "Show the world the true Islam, the Islam of moderation and forgiveness that respects pluralism in the whole world.").
Regards, "Commandant"
Mike
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Originally Posted by jmm99
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