Article

2009-12-13 Afghanistan

Training Afghan Army Like Pissin Up a Rope - Good Luck Pulling out in 2011

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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2009-12-13 13:30|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

#1 This makes as much sense as trying to turn the Indian tribes on our side in the 19th century into the US cavalry. Too much nation building. Too much fight the American way. It's a big mistake just as it was when Bush made it.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2009-12-13 13:49|| 2009-12-13 13:49|| Front Page Top

#2 For once Hollywood got it right. This movie should be required viewing for all in the Obama Administration.

And then into battle. Does the Kafiristan warlord looke like Karzai?

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2009-12-13 14:47|| 2009-12-13 14:47|| Front Page Top

#3 It looks to me like the unit in the video has an expectation that the US will do any real fighting that needs to be done. Unfortunately, exposing them to combat to toughen them up would have a worse result than assigning a troup of girl scouts to patrol an Afghan village. The girl scouts would do better in that few of them would be stoned and most would show up on time, wear the required equipment and follow direction.

It looks to me like the biggest problem will be that all the committed recruits are being attracted to the Taliban side.

The solution probably lies in the following plan
1. Forget about troup headcount - that is just for the bean counters.
2. Pay the recruits a premium over what they would make as opium henchmen.
3. Turn the training over to Blackwater with the contract being performance based.
4. Establish suitable consequences for dopers - I don't recommend summary execution as fans of the ROK Marines would recommend nor assignement to underfunded mine-clearance units. Just assign them to cold places for less pay.

Posted by Super Hose 2009-12-13 14:50|| 2009-12-13 14:50|| Front Page Top

#4 American Indians as US Cavalry.
Not a bad idea; "Crazy Horse"
aka "They fear his horses" was
the greatest light-cavalry leader
on the planet.
See also "The Indians Won" wherein
Amerinds back from the Civil War
pass on the organization and skills
to their tribes, and hold the heart-
land of the US.
I wonder how much opium, and how many
terrorist's heads, a Tribal Khan would
pay, for a "God's Eye" satellite view
of everything, and everyone, on his
territory, and a little help with
armored intruders sent by the Mayor
of Kabul ?

Posted by M. Report 2009-12-13 16:55|| 2009-12-13 16:55|| Front Page Top

#5 How about a new way of looking at it.
In the 60s my father-in-law had to build a port and plastics factory in Java. He just couldn't get good work out his people. He kept raising there pay and that just made fewer days they showed up for work...

So...
He hired a private eye to see what they did with their money. Java had a pretty money'ed class caste society. They couldn't do much of anything no-mater what he paid them. They were the low caste....
So if he paid them more it was just more time to goof off. They couldn't afford sports, or movies or games...... nothing...

So he CUT their pay by 10X!
He built a huge recreation system with ping pong, pinball, exercise equipment, games, movies...
BUT... they couldn't use money for any of it. ONLY HOURLY WORK CHIPS given for HARD WORK.
Damn!
Productivity went up oodles..
THey were putting in 50 and 60 hr weeks...

NOW if something like this was done with the Afghan Army... the chits wouldn't be good for any drugs....
NOO!
Just health recreation...
that they can't find anywhere in the country...

Worth a try?

Posted by 3dc 2009-12-13 22:34|| 2009-12-13 22:34|| Front Page Top

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