Ghost of a flea: Delinquent

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December 17, 2009

Delinquent

The United States military encounters difficulties in its civilizing mission in Afghanistan.

Even the best Afghan units lack training, discipline and adequate reinforcements. In one new unit in Baghlan Province, soldiers have been found cowering ditches rather than fight. Others routinely steal U.S.-supplied fuel, equipment and weapons. And a few are suspected of collaborating with the Taliban against the Americans.

“I do not feel I am a mentor here,” said Capt. Jason Douthwaite, a logistics officer with the 73rd Troop Command of the Ohio National Guard who has tried to stop rampant pilfering by the Afghan soldiers his unit is training. “I feel like I am an investigating officer. It’s not, ‘Let me teach you your job.’ It’s more like, ‘How much did you steal from the American government today?’”…

A thought: We stop spending billions of dollars on a half-hearted civilizing mission in Afghanistan; either we are in it to win it or we give it up as a bad job and adopt other, properly Draconian measures. Either we change the enemy's culture or the enemy's culture will send jihadis from this generation and the next and the next until the end of days. Which could be sooner than you might think should said jihadis get their hands on proper weaponry.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at December 17, 2009 07:33 AM

Comments

I believe that you regularly visit Terry Glavin's site.

http://transmontanus.blogspot.com/2009/12/closer-look-at-richard-colvins-claims.html

I guess the operative word in your post is one hypenated.
.

Posted by: OregonGuy at December 18, 2009 12:35 PM