What are the SWC thoughts on policing in combat?

[William F. Owen]

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While clear blue water between law enforcement and security is an admirable goal, the third world floats on muddy waters. Moreover, the blue water in the West has not been so crystal blue since 9/11.

I submit that the important thing is that we know what the goal or desired end state looks like. Sure there are going to be areas of ambiguity, but I see most of those as easily solved.

My direct experience of the third world (though less considerable than your own) is that you cannot compensate for stupidity, bigotry, corruption and greed.

[Tom Odom]

I submit that the important thing is that we know what the goal or desired end state looks like. Sure there are going to be areas of ambiguity, but I see most of those as easily solved.

My direct experience of the third world (though less considerable than your own) is that you cannot compensate for stupidity, bigotry, corruption and greed.

And I agree with you for the most part. Where the disconnect crompts up is defining who are "we". In my experience, we too often define we as only us--the foreigners making or attempting to influence the decision rather than really looking at the issue from both sides.

Just as an example, the US I-MET program with the Rwandan government pre-genocide concentrated on military law and civilian rule. We--the US--hosted a military law symposium in early 1994 and the attendees were then current members of the GOR and the Rwandan military including the gendarmerie. Everyone listened as US intructors lectured on how important adherence to law was, MG Dallaire as UNAMIR 1 Force commander spoke. Later the students all talked together and drank soft drinks. It was almost a "kumbaya" experience. Just weeks later, many of those same students from the government sode were hip deep in genocide and the other students --the rebels-- were hip deep in fighting to stop them. The "we" in this was just us; we did not really include the Rwandans from either side in that we.

To finish the story though, later when I came in as DATT and we restarted I-MET with the funds still in the pot, I got to send a team of former rebels now Rwandan army and gendarmerie to the States to the Naval law school for a semniar. As part of that schooling, the students visited various prisons and later their instructors raved over their attentiveness. One instructor told us that the head of the Rwandan students turned to him in such a visit and asked, "You mean we cannot beat them?"

That student later became Rwandan Ambassador to the United States. I felt like then and I stell believe that "we" in that case had actually defined our goals collectively.

Best

Tom

In the below pic, then MAJ Frank Rusagara (2nd from left) and another RPA officer have a post seminar beer with two FAR officers. Frank is now a BG and commandant of the Rwandan Military Academy.