What We Don't Know Can Hurt Us: The scariest thing Gen. McChrystal told Congress about Afghanistan.

[waterscalm]

He contradicts himself on a major dictate and no one asks questions. We are in deep trouble and many of our troops will die and be injured.


http://www.slate.com/id/2237797?nav=wp

What We Don't Know Can Hurt UsThe scariest thing Gen. McChrystal told Congress about Afghanistan.

By Fred KaplanPosted Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009, at 5:39 PM ET

General McChrystal. Click image to expand.Gen. Stanley McChrystal

At an otherwise uneventful hearing before the House Armed Services Committee this morning, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said something that should confirm and heighten most people's apprehensions about the war's escalation.

McChrystal noted that he has accumulated several years of command experience in that country since the war began. And yet, he confessed, "There is much in Afghanistan that I do not understand."


None of the legislators audibly gasped, or asked any questions about this remark, but they should have.

In most conventional wars, it doesn't much matter whether commanders or their subordinates have a deep feel for the psychology or culture of the people who live on or near the battlefield. However, in a counterinsurgency war, this sort of knowledge is essential.

As Gen. David Petraeus put it in his celebrated field manual on counterinsurgency (often abbreviated as COIN):

Successful conduct of COIN operations depends on thoroughly understanding the society and
culture within which they are being conducted.

[stray cat]

1. I would be worried if he was as confident as many DUers are about their opinions

what American understands the many compoenents of Afghanistan - do you know all of the family ties in any region - and the country is largely a conglomeration of family ties

[izzybeans]

2. I actually read that differently. At least he understands he has much to learn.

Most Generals are not that forthcoming and do not see their own limitations. I would be more concerned if he had said, "I've got all the solutions right here in my back pocket" or "I know all there is to know to get r' done."