First U.S. Official Resigns Over Afghan War

[Schmedlap]

I suspect that this letter was leaked to the media because Hoh's "biography" is convenient. Someone apparently thought that his background would make this opinion more important than opinions of other people whose opinions might have been formed with far more information and understanding of the situation.

This is standard procedure in American politics, so I'm not decrying the tactic. But it does amaze me that we fall for it every time.

[jkm_101_fso]

I suspect that this letter was leaked to the media because Hoh's "biography" is convenient.

That was my thought...he was the "perfect" candidate for political fodder.

This is standard procedure in American politics, so I'm not decrying the tactic. But it does amaze me that we fall for it every time.

You're right. I'm guilty.

[jkm_101_fso]

Abu M. weighs in on apparent inaccuracies in the original WaPo article

Looks like Schmed might be right...

[Umar Al-Mokhtār]

To me Mr. Hoh’s resignation and statement do not meet the “so what” test. So what? A DoS contractor quits, back in September no less, after four months in the field and decides our efforts in Astan are not worth it. So what, there are dozens of pundits saying similar things right now, many of whom have spent nearly zero time in Astan. Also, there are advocates for our continuing our efforts in Astan, many of whom have spent nearly zero time in Astan. So Mr. Hoh is not offering any Earth shattering revelations.

I’m with Schmedlap: Why is the Post touting this now? At the very same time that the President in pondering the next moves in Astan and an election runoff is soon to occur there.

I say the Post is merely acting the agent provocateur in an attempt to steer debate on Astan a certain way and using Mr. Hoh’s resignation as some sort of indication that the Obama team has lost the strategic ball.

[Schmedlap]

JKM,

I wasn't even concerned about whether he was or was not an FSO (Foreign Service Officer... if he was a Fire Support Officer then I might have given him some credit).

My concern about the whole fiasco was this: even if he was a 10-year veteran of the Foreign Service, who cares? There are thousands of people in Afghanistan who have equally insightful views - or more insightful views - than this guy does. This is a PR stunt, plain and simple.

On the other hand, I take great pleasure in one aspect of this. This might turn into something very bitter sweet...

The Washington Post's Dan Rather Moment

Oh, how I hate the media. How sweet it would be.

[wm]

I suspect that this letter was leaked to the media because Hoh's "biography" is convenient. Someone apparently thought that his background would make this opinion more important than opinions of other people whose opinions might have been formed with far more information and understanding of the situation.

To paraphrase Alex Karas' character Mongo in "Blazing Saddles" :

"Hoh just pawn . . . in game of life."

[RKhan]

This story just doesn't ring true. First of all, is this guy really a Foreign Service Officer? As I understand it, it takes months to get into the Foreign Service and then you have a year or more of training. This guy got wind of the job last autumn and was in the field within six months or less. I suspect he was a temporary civil service guy--essentially a personal services contractor. If that is the case, I have to wonder if this report properly characterized the reactions of the senior folks mentioned in this article. It is no surprise they’d be informed about the resignation of a DOS rep on a PRT, but would they really take such a strong personal interest in a temp guy who is really working a very junior position? Would McChrystal really send a DOS body to check on Korengal? It all seems a bit odd.

Given this guy's likely status, why did this rate above the fold coverage in the Washington Post? I don't have access to the facts, but my impression is that this is an overblown story that is the product of some questionable journalism and uninformed editors.


Lastly, the guy is likely "honorable" and all that, but I am not the least bit over awed by his bio. There are hundreds if not thousands of us who could match or better his background. I have three long tours in Afghanistan and I spent one of those tours in Zabul. I know the governor mentioned in the srticle. This guy had a couple months up around J-bad and a couple more in Zabul and he is being presented as an expert on Afghanistan. I wish WaPo would approach me for my opinion.

[Cavguy]

From a friend, some history:

“It has long seemed to me that the hard decisions are not the ones you make in the heat of battle. Far harder to make are those involved in speaking your mind about some harebrained scheme which proposes to commit troops to action under conditions where failure seems almost certain, and the only results will be the needless sacrifice of priceless lives."


Matthew Ridgway, on the need for officers to be leaders who will go beyond physical courage and display moral courage.


"It is hard to get men to do this, for this is when you lay your career, perhaps your commission, on the line."


George Marshall, ibid.

also this:

I've been to Zabul and know the problems there pretty well, so I can understand why Hoh was frustrated.


As for what he did, I can certainly see why folks like him would get frustrated and want to resign in despair. However, Holbrooke was right, you can probably have more impact as an internal critic than an external one, especially given that he wasn't/isn't a big name who would get big time, extended attention from the media. He'll say his piece, have his 5 minutes, and likely disappear - so he probably should have stayed in the fight inside if he wanted to maximize impact.


On the issue of the State Department, I think that they should be actively recruiting people like Hoh (or like me for that matter, not that I'm eager to go back there) with experience in/on Afghanistan (and outside relevant expertise) - esp given the complexity of the problem set and the requirements of COIN. Unfortunately, they rotate in folks with inexperience and little desire to be in such a fight --- they want to be in Paris and Brussels doing "diplomacy", not Kabul or out in the country as one leg of the COIN stool!


[the error] --- it is not a failure to send folks like him there, it is a failure to send the same old people in State that in many cases do nothing useful in the rest of the world but have a claim to "experience"! Professionalized bureaucrats have their advantages but we should recognize their deficits as well, particularly for outside the box missions.

I don't understand the personal vindictive coming out here against Hoh. Perhaps the Wapo should or should not have featured him given his level. Rather than attacking the messenger and his motives because you disagree or have personal axes to grind against the media or junior officer "experts", a better use would attack his case. Just my opinion.

Niel

[Schmedlap]

I don't understand the personal vindictive coming out here against Hoh. Perhaps the Wapo should or should not have featured him given his level. Rather than attacking the messenger and his motives because you disagree or have personal axes to grind against the media or junior officer "experts", a better use would attack his case. Just my opinion.

I don't think many (or any) of us are vindictive. I think most are wondering why this particular individual's opinion matters so much more than most other peoples' views. The answer to that question seems to be that the WashPo was looking to make news rather than report it.

[OfTheTroops]

This Hoh case reminds me a great deal of the Watada case. Does anyone else see the parallel? Vastly different in detail but eerily similar as in "hey, I heard this story before."

[Steve the Planner]

Of the Troops:

Perhaps the most interesting counterpoint to the Watada Case is that fact that regardless of what Watada argued as the merits of his argument against serving in Iraq, the subsequent facts on the ground stood in contrast to his initial claims.

Certainly, there were some bad chapters in the book of Iraq, but, had he joined in the surge, he would have been a part of one of the better chapters, including laying the foundation for ultimate troop withdrawal.

Looks like the folks in the Army PR machine wanted to show the same thing in Zabul yesterday:

http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news...w.php&id=40714

While I am not big on US school building projects unless they have teachers, financial support etc...,, that is because I saw to many built that never opened, in part because the condition, location or staffing (due to Iraqi buy-in) was inadequate, I know that schools in Afghanistan can have different outcomes.

So, this godforsaken biblical era place full of nothing but backward, radical anti Americanism somehow turned out a large crowd on October 22 to celebrate the opening of the girls' high school.

And the Zabul PRT seemed to be pretty proud of it, too. (And well-accepted by the locals).

Or was that just well-timed PR counter-battery fire?

Steve