From a Regular Reader:
"Do you see now the same things (mistakes) being repeated from the time you were there? I just wondered. Some of the blogs I've read the archives on, some of them quite out dated as well as the owner no longer writing, is that the blogs that are currently in country now speak of the same problems. I mean, honestly, why can't we get this right, and change the things that we know to be wrong?"
Well, that's more than one question, but they're related and pertinent.
One of the things is,
Many things come down to cultural differences. In the US, it's polite to ask how the wife and kids are doing. In Afghanistan, if you ask about a wife, daughter, or sister, it's the equivalent of asking to see naked pictures of them. The correct question is "How is your family?" Leave the specifics of females alone. It can have severe detriment to the relationship you're trying to build.
How does this relate to the question? Some mistakes being made are those of impatience and others are a matter of cultural ignorance. For that reason, it is important that key leaders in Afghanistan have experience, the right experience, there. A Commander there for the first time would do well to make sure he has a trusted, experienced NCO close by, one that has dealt with the local culture closely, and to consult him often.
Some things simply take time. Some things take exposure. Some things take a history of exposure. One of the key elements in the long term victory, ie. preventing the terrorists of 2030 coming from Afghanistan, is education. There are more than 26 Million Afghanis and I'd be surprised if 6 Million can read or write in ANY language. Today, there are 3.5 Million or more Afghans enrolled in school as compared to 1 Million Taliban Boys in 2001. They are learning Dari, Pashtu, and English, instead of hate and propaganda.
In 2002, if a villager knew how to read and write, he was considered to be a Doctor. This illiteracy means its more difficult to train Soldiers in the Afghan Army, Police Officers in National force, AND to overcome the propaganda preached by the Taliban and taught them by Al-Qaeda.
We also have the risk-averse Military Culture of the 90's to overcome. With seemingly no world military threat present, officers were rated based on things their Soldiers did on off duty hours, things officers had no control and little impact on, such as DUI's by 21 year olds not in their immediate observation. Seven years of war mean that some of this is going away, but the Zero Tolerance policies so popular then simply don't work as well as some hoped.
Some mistakes are repeated, yes. Some are made out of a lack of experience while some are made out of a lack of patience. But this is not a situation where we can achieve lasting results in a matter of years. It will take a lasting commitment and the concerted efforts of not only the Military, but also Diplomatic Corps, Humanitarian efforts, and Economic Development.
Many in American Politics complain that we spend Federal Money to support foreign education, but if I told you that for the cost of hundreds of dollars, a village could have a school that would provide an education to hundreds of students and that it would decrease the chance a thousand fold that any member of that village would ever take up arms against Americans, who would oppose a few dollars to make that happen? If I told you that the pencils and candy our Troops love to give to kids would result in a lifetime of good will, who wouldn't send a Soldier a box of each. These are both true and are re-iterated often in my writings.
It's not simply a matter of leaders with combat experience, but of leaders with Afghanistan experience. Afghanistan is not Iraq, even though there are some commonalities.
And some things will always be frustrating to the Soldier on the Front Line, whether cultural like the blatant lies in Afghanistan, or hierarchial like the overbearing NCO or the detached commander. Combat Troops often complain about REMFs (or Fobbits) but every speciality is important and needed, even if some are "safe" and some are glorious.
Yes, some complaints and some mistakes are repeated, but in generality they are minor. The biggest thing we need is patience. We are good at learning from the mistakes that keep beating us over the head. And remember, when the Troops stop complaining, something is seriously wrong.
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