Down and out in . . . / COIN and the metaphors of warrior anthropology
. . . Myanmar, where the sesame crop is a throw of the dice and the monks’ lust after the blood of ethnic minorities abates ever so slightly on Guatama’s birthday. But the climate is nice.
. . . . Gozo, where the island economy hung tough on Omar Gadaffi’s tyrannical largesse until it didn’t, and then we all drank Cisk until the Brits came back on holiday and we played at the 12th century, once more.
. . . . Los Roques archipelago, where items would be measured by the gross weight of Venezuelan currency (that will be 3.4 lbs) rather than cash, because the liquidity fluctuations were both so extreme and so constant, and because there was much fun to be had in the gauche above-it-allness of it all. Fly-in meals from Caracas are intermittently a tenable concession to the ever-present possibility of food shortages. Also parasailing!
. . . . rural outposts of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. State Department travel advisories specifically admonish to be wary of unforeseen and unpredictable dangers, as compared to immediately foreseeable and predictable, imminent dangers. Don’t guard against being a well-wisher or a quixotic toe-dipper-into-local-culture, or else stay at the Best Western outside the embassy compound. The ex pat journalist bar where you’re most likely to make into an ex pat journalist’s memoir, circa 2027: Custer’s Last Stand Bar and Grill.
. . . . Little Havana, Miami, where the AUSAs are always on the lookout for an easy RICO tie-in and every family lays claim to the best pork-laden tortas. Pervasive poverty that is read as “colorful” by the city fathers, as is perforce inner-city American style. Don’t sleep on the rising tides, all the while aware that less than 10% have boats.
Before inking the contracts on their memoirs, Generals Petraeus and Mattis teamed up to write the Counterinsurgency Manual. I’m not sure if COIN dealt with donkeys or llamas, but I like to think that it did.
COIN:
Leaders at all levels must adjust their approach constantly, ensuring that their elements are ready each day to be greeted with a handshake or a hand grenade, to take on missions only infrequently practiced until recent years at our combat training centers, to be nation builders as well as warriors, to help re-establish institutions and local security forces, to assist in the rebuilding of infrastructure and basic services, and to facilitate the establishment of local governance and the rule of law.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff asked me…“The lines in your command chart, the command relationships, what are they? OPCON? TACON? Command?” “Sir, we don’t ask, because no one can sign up to any of that stuff.” “Well, how do you do business?” “Hand Shake Con. That’s it.” No memoranda of agreement. No memoranda of understanding…the relationships are worked out on the scene, and they aren’t pretty.
Once the social structure has been mapped and the culture is understood, COIN forces must understand how power is apportioned and used within a society. Understanding power is the key to manipulating the interests of groups within the society
Background screenings should include the collection of personal and biometric data and a search through available reporting databases to determine that the person is not an insurgent. Identification badges may be useful for local nationals working on U.S. and HN government facilities. However, these badges may be forged or stolen, and insurgents can use them to identify people working with the government. Therefore, biometrics is preferable, when available
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
ROE are directives issued by competent military authority that delineate the circumstances and limitations under which U.S. forces initiate and/or continue combat engagement with other forces encountered. In a large-scale deployment, the Secretary of Defense may issue ROE that are specific to the operation to a combatant commander. The combatant commander and subordinate commanders then issue ROE that must be consistent with the ROE received from the Secretary of Defense. In addition to stating the circumstances under which Soldiers or Marines may open fire—that is, upon positive identification of a member of a hostile force or upon clear indications of hostile intent—the ROE may include rules concerning when civilians may be detained, specify levels of approval authority for using heavy weapons, or identify facilities that may be protected with deadly force. All ROE comply with the law of war.
Donkeys, llamas, wild horses . . . ride or die . . .
