COR Interviews Bill Roggio, Editor of The Long War Journal.
I thoroughly enjoyed this interview, and Bill is just a wealth of information when it comes to this war. The Long War Journal is a highly effective ‘new media’ tool in getting the word out about this war and what we are doing right or wrong, and it was a pleasure to hear what Bill had to say. I hope Bill comes back again.
Some of the highlights for this show, was a quick down and dirty discussion about what is going on in Pakistan, and how important that conflict is to the rest of the war. Jake and Bill also discussed this latest attack on the Sri Lanken Cricket Team in Pakistan. They also discussed the latest appeasement actions of the Pakistani government in the Swat region, and how idiotic that is.
As for Afghanistan, the main theme there is what is the overall strategic objective. Jake and Bill hit on a really key point with Afghanistan and this latest troop surge. What is the diplomatic strategy and surge, that will accompany this larger military footprint? Where is Secretary of State Clinton on this thing? What is the grand strategy? Because you just don’t send troops, and not develop the government and governance of Afghanistan, so that we can actually have a plan for leaving the place when that government can take care of itself. The military aspect of Afghanistan is just one element, of what should be a grand strategy for the region. We need to hear that strategy, the people of Afghanistan need to hear that strategy, and the world needs to hear that strategy. Because if they don’t, then all we look like, is another foreign army in a country that either doesn’t like us, or are completely dissapointed in our reasons for being there. We must become a good idea in Afghanistan, for us to continue being there.
Jake and Bill also talked about contractors, and that was a subject I wish they could have expanded more on. Both mentioned that in Afghanistan, if the strategy is not only dependent on a military surge, but a diplomatic and civilian support surge, then security contractors are a necessary component. NGO’s and DoS would much rather be protected by a non-military entity to be effective as civilian based organizations. To run around with military forces protection would draw undo negative attention to their causes, and private security can definitely lower that profile and keep them in more of a neutral position. So I agree, security contractors will be a necessary component to a diplomatic surge–if and when it happens. It would just be nice to actually hear about the diplomatic surge strategy.
And with that said, I do think we will see a surge of some kind of diplomat army that will certainly require protection services. I think President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton will soon realize that private security contractors will be a necessary component of this surge. Time is also not on their side, and with the summer coming and the Taliban recharged and ready to fight, the need for a military with a robust diplomatic surge will become even more evident.
The thing we have to do as an industry, is take it up a notch, and insure we are providing a service that is well managed and in tune with this grand strategy. The Taliban would love to create another Iraq style Nisour Square scenario with a private security company operating in Afghanistan. That is why we must make sure that all of the companies are locked on, and are armed with the tools necessary to defend against such asymmetric type attacks. That means you need to soup up your PR capabilities, and learn from the mistakes of other companies. It also means having a discussion with your client in regards to Nisour Square type deals. It is not just an attack on your company, or contractors, or your client–it is an attack against the image of the foreign army, and the way we respond to that attack must be dealt with properly. We must win that fight tactically, and strategically. Enough said. –Matt
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