Interesting read indeed. The following seems to me to be one of the two most critical aspects to assess in any proposed COIN.
Quote:
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However, as Benjamin Schwarz sagely warned “it is one thing to have the key; it is entirely a different matter to force another to use it to unlock a door through which he does not wish to enter.”
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The other essential point was not discussed, or at least I didn't see it. And that is alignment of values. IIRC, that is one of the 6 principles of UW. This FOG has lived long enough to see the US supporting either a government in power or an insurgency with misalignment of core values. This failing seems to lead to repeating the same mistake over and over and over again. It's sort of like marrying someone thinking that you can change something that is a fundamental misalignment with you. The outcome is predictable and always costly (I know cause I did it twice before I learned).
Two cases in point in international relations: the Diem regime in VN, and propping up of the Shah of Iran - Rheza Pahlavi.
IMO, until we resolve that problem we will continue to repeat the same mistakes and suffer the consequences of bad decision making. A better plan may be to stay home until we figure out what the f' we are doing, to or with whom we are doing it, and why!
Just a thought or two.
