Quote Originally Posted by Bob's World View Post
All critical causal factors are as viewed from the perspective of the populace in question.

What foreigners think matters not at all; and typically the HN counterinsurgent is blind to what the populace perceives as well, so there take will lead you astray as well.
As a statement in isolation, I can agree with all of that.
However you may end up supporting the mutilation of women, death sentence for minors, and Shariah Law - so essentially support the policy the population wants - the Population sets the Policy, not your CoC?
Current efforts In Population Centric COIN are on promoting "Rule of Law" - my point is that greater enforcement of a legal system percieved by the populace as unjust is tyranny.
OK, but there is never one populace with one opinion. Insurgencies/rebellions are usually the product of a minority.
While Taliban justice is harsh, it is, by populace assessment, perceived as more "just" than that provided by the GIROA.
In most cases the Taliban are the ONLY form of justice because they are the only ones doing it - thus people support it.
So, yes, it must be the pursuit of "justice" ie, how the populace FEELS about the legal system that is the goal.
So, if I may, the objective is to force into place a level of control that the population will largely accept. - thus you need to destroy the other competing forms of control?