
![]() | |
July 2010
June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003
|
Greetings! You are reading an article from The Mudville Gazette. To reach the front page, with all the latest news and views, click the logo above or "main" below. Thanks for stopping by! January 22, 2010 One Tribe at a Time - but which one first?By Greyhawk![]() Sometimes I think we can win the war in Afghanistan:
Major Jim Gant is the author of One Tribe at a Time. The document is a chronicle of his experience in Afghanistan (as a US Army Special Forces team leader "embedded" with a tribe in the Af/Pak border region) and a description of one possible future there. Its first public appearance was on Steven Pressfield's blog last fall. (Pressfield now has a section of his site dedicated to Gant's work and follow-on discussion.) Don't be afraid to read the whole thing. This is not the product of a Harvard-educated think tank wonk eager to establish his credibility as a brilliant thinker and invaluable participant in the "Afghan debate." It's the output of one man with no illusions about the difficulty of the task, from on the ground with the people of one valley to headquarters (from the lowest levels to the White House - and the people of the United States). It's brief, to the point, and accessible - and more Gates of Fire than doctoral thesis.
Gant isn't afraid to use terms like warrior and winning (which he defines in chapter one). And he doesn't shy away from big issues that (if resolved) will ultimately bring about that win.
This is not a my way or the highway solution - Major Gant is confident in proposing a theory developed in its own execution, but is no crusader convinced he's completely right or completely righteous. The struggle in Afghanistan is against more than one foe; in addition to the Taliban we're confronted with a bureaucracy that's potentially the one enemy that can't be defeated. But I opened this discussion with sometimes I think we can win the war, and gave one of the best examples I've seen lately of why: it's less because of what Major Gant wrote (hardly new, it's how we defeated the Taliban in the first place) and more that others in that same bureaucracy encountered an unconventional idea that an unconventional man proposed in an unconventional forum, plucked him from the relentless tide that would have sent him elsewhere, and dropped him instead where he was needed most. But "can win" isn't the same as "will." News from elsewhere: You may recall Eikenberry from the final days of the surge debate... Ambassador Eikenberry's memos expressed "deep concerns about sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan until President Hamid Karzai's government demonstrates that it is willing to tackle the corruption and mismanagement that has fueled the Taliban's rise, senior U.S. officials said." ...and wonder what's changed? The best answer I can offer is "nothing." He's obviously as determined as ever. "We've got the watches, they've got the time," Gant reminds us.
If you're a member of one of those last two tribes, "yours" is the answer to "which one first?" Here's One Tribe at a Time. Read the whole thing. Posted by Greyhawk / January 22, 2010 12:01 PM | Permalink TrackBackTrackBack URL: http://www.mudvillegazette.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/17253 1 CommentLeave a comment |
July 19, 2010Dawn Patrol 07/19/2010 [Greyhawk]
Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our ongoing roundup of information on war and other topics - from the MilBlogs and other sources around the world.
Always updating - refresh for updates.
AFGHANISTANProspects for stability in Musa Qala: challenges and possible solutions -- [Bill Ardolino /Long War Journal - in Afghanistan] Exploding Culverts -- [Kandahar Diary - in Afghanistan] Arbaki -- [Free Range International - in Afghanistan] Weather -- [A Major's Perspective - in Afghanistan] Fête Nationale -- [Field Notes: One Soldier's Perspective - in Afghanistan] Goodbye "FaST" Food (and good riddance) -- [FaST Surgeon - in Afghanistan] IRAQOn The Iran, Iraq Border -- [J.D. Johannes - in Iraq] WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISMSenators Look For Smoking Gun In BP-Lockerbie Link -- [AP] No Link Between BP And Lockerbie Release: UK Envoy -- [NPR news blog] UK's Cameron: Releasing Lockerbie Bomber Was Wrong -- [AP] U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLDAs Cameron and Obama Meet, BP Will Be Top Issue -- [NY Times] Afghanistan tops agenda for British PM's visit -- [Washington Times] WELCOME HOMEHomecoming -- [Rajiv Srinivasan - home from Afghanistan] STRATEGY & TACTICSISAF, SCR Address Military ROE and Tactical Directives -- [ISAF] SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGYRaytheon's pain gun finally gets deployed in Afghanistan (update: recalled) -- [Engadget] Pain Ray Recalled From Afghanistan -- [Noah Shachtman/Danger Room] The Active Denial System: the weapon that's a hot topic -- [The Telegraph (UK)] World's Fastest Helicopter Boosts Battle Against Insurgents -- [ISAF]
POLITICSIs it time for a real GI Jane? -- [CNN] HUMOR/SATIRE(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.) Iraq, Afghanistan, War, Terrorism, Military, Politics, Media, MilBlogs, dawn patrol Mudville |
The Mudville Gazette is the on-line voice of an American warrior and his wife who stands by him. They prefer to see peaceful change render force of arms unnecessary. Until that day they stand fast with those who struggle for freedom, strike for reason, and pray for a better tomorrow.
![]() I like having visitors to my house. I hope you are entertained. I fight for your right to free speech, and am thrilled when you exercise said rights here. Comments and e-mails are welcome, but all such communication is to be assumed to be 1)the original work of any who initiate said communication and 2)the property of the Mudville Gazette, with free use granted thereto for publication in electronic or written form. If you do NOT wish to have your message posted, write "CONFIDENTIAL" in the subject line of your email. Original content copyright © 2003 - 2009 by Greyhawk. Fair, not-for-profit use of said material by others is encouraged, as long as acknowledgement and credit is given, to include the url of the original source post. Other arrangements can be made as needed. Contact: greyhawk at mudvillegazette dot com ![]() |
An alternative to Major Jim Gant's "One Tribe at a time"
Please open the link