Operationalizing The Jones Model through COG

[Infanteer]

Even now we call those states that dare to reject European forms of governance as "failed states". Read Foreign Policy. Read their definition of a "Failed State." Pure Western arrogance. We define failed as a rejection of doing it our way.

Would you regard Barnett's notion of "Core" and "Gap" states as a sign of this western arrogance?

Until you can develop empathy, you cannot understand insurgency. Until you understand insurgency, you cannot understand counterinsurgency. Until you understand counterinsurgency, you cannot effectively travel to the land of another and help him effectively with his insurgency.

Perhaps we're guilty of "Situating the Estimate" then? We've chosen to take Northern Afghan rejection of the Taliban as a sign that a Western-backed Karzai (and the warlord) coalition would be a suitable alternative and that if we just "do COIN properly" then it should work?

It's hard to empathise one's way out of "Whenever these strange Christian soldiers come around, I get s##t on by my neighbours because it'll either provoke the local yokals to fight or worse, everyone will think I'm on their side".