This would be a good one to attend. Dr. David Kilcullen, Dr. Kimberly Kagan and General Anthony Zinni (ret.) are just a few of the speakers at this event. I also thought the topics of this summit were pretty telling. “Succeeding in Afghanistan, Capacity Building & Development, Regulation & Licensing, Counter-Narcotics in Afghanistan, U.S. Legislative & Policy Trends, International Regulatory Trends, Logistics & Supply Routes, Armored Vehicle Standards, PSC Licensing & Regulations, Security Sector Reform, Counterinsurgency, and U.S. Government Accountability and Oversight”.
Anyone reading the tea leaves on this one, and you can see that regulation of the industry is front and center. And with such high level COIN experts attending, folks are getting the picture that the 246,000 plus civilian contractors working in the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan, might just have a weeeeee little bit of an impact on the overall COIN strategy. (my pimp hand of sarcasm is strong-lol)
To not address the impact of our industry on the current war strategy is foolish. Better yet, to not explore further uses of our industry to enhance the current war strategy is equally foolish. We are a tool of war, and if used correctly, we will certainly help to achieve certain goals of any military strategy.
I also hope that those in attendance at least have a quick discussion about Somalia on the side. Because what CSS Global does in that AO, will certainly impact any kind of regional strategy there. It is within the best interest of the industry, and of the war planners, to make sure these guys get it right. The actions of the few, impact the rest of us, and unfortunately we do not have the luxury to look the other way anymore. –Matt
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The IPOA 2009 Annual Summit is the premier event of the Stability Operations Industry. The Summit will be held in Washington, DC, home to some of the world’s largest clients in the global Stability Operations Industry.
The three-day Summit, to be held on 25 – 27 October, 2009, will feature a mix of panel discussions, keynote speeches and ample opportunities for industry networking. The Summit will focus on developments in the Afghanistan region, including Pakistan and other neighboring nations, giving overarching consideration to the role of the private sector in such missions.
The venue for the Summit will be Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center in the National Harbor in Washington, DC. Click here for more information on the venue.
Go here for more information and to register.