Slowly drilling holes in our own heads......
I submit this chart without comment.....
Well, one comment.
I know....I have posted this before.
A friend of ours just returned from Afghanistan where he was sent to do an assessment of the war for General McChrystal.
It was the first time in eight years anyone had done a comprehensive assessment of the war.
Without violating confidences......here were some random comments:
There are five types of Afghani leaders: 1) violent, radical religionists; 2) potentially violent drug lords; 3) secular corrupt politicians; 4) sincere religionists; 5) none of the above.
I am paraphrasing......
In everyday contact he found that at any given meeting each and every person would be at least two of the above....and sometimes all five.
There are at least a half dozen military commands there: the UN, us, Denmark, the Brits, the Germans, the Afghans.....who knows.
Each military has a completely different operational command and way of doing business. Leaders may meet and agree on policy....but as policy passes down the chain of command to the folks who actually do the work it becomes chaotically garbled.
As an example....go to babelfish translation and type in any random thing: "I took my dog for a walk in the woods and he chased a stud bull which angered the farmer." Translate from English into Italian, then from Italian to German, then back to English.
Our friend discovered the best way to find out what was going on was to talk to the generals.....and immediately verify everything with the various master sergeants who actually run things.
Our friend did not reveal his recommendations to General McC.......
"It is pre-decisional....."
So without further comment....and with thanks to Bill Murphy, Jr.
If you haven't read his book "In a Time of War"...be ashamed.
Or just call me. I have ten copies.
Well, one comment.
I know....I have posted this before.
A friend of ours just returned from Afghanistan where he was sent to do an assessment of the war for General McChrystal.
It was the first time in eight years anyone had done a comprehensive assessment of the war.
Without violating confidences......here were some random comments:
There are five types of Afghani leaders: 1) violent, radical religionists; 2) potentially violent drug lords; 3) secular corrupt politicians; 4) sincere religionists; 5) none of the above.
I am paraphrasing......
In everyday contact he found that at any given meeting each and every person would be at least two of the above....and sometimes all five.
There are at least a half dozen military commands there: the UN, us, Denmark, the Brits, the Germans, the Afghans.....who knows.
Each military has a completely different operational command and way of doing business. Leaders may meet and agree on policy....but as policy passes down the chain of command to the folks who actually do the work it becomes chaotically garbled.
As an example....go to babelfish translation and type in any random thing: "I took my dog for a walk in the woods and he chased a stud bull which angered the farmer." Translate from English into Italian, then from Italian to German, then back to English.
Our friend discovered the best way to find out what was going on was to talk to the generals.....and immediately verify everything with the various master sergeants who actually run things.
Our friend did not reveal his recommendations to General McC.......
"It is pre-decisional....."
So without further comment....and with thanks to Bill Murphy, Jr.
If you haven't read his book "In a Time of War"...be ashamed.
Or just call me. I have ten copies.
posted by Txacoli at 8:24 PM
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