Feral Jundi

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Afghanistan: The Taliban Fear Contractors

Filed under: Afghanistan,Industry Talk,Strategy — Tags: , , , , , , — Matt @ 1:52 AM

    The attacks “are not about armed confrontation. They are about subversion of the government,” said Terrence K. Kelly, a senior researcher at the Washington-based RAND Corporation who has studied how rebuilding efforts work in war zones. America’s strategy counts on development work to increase the legitimacy and reach of the Karzai government. With these attacks the Taliban can “turn off the delivery of services — which makes the government look bad,” he said.

    USAID insists it will not scale back its work in Afghanistan because of the attacks, according to Rebecca Black, the agency’s deputy mission director for Afghanistan.

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    Break guerillas’ moral-mental-physical hold over the population, destroy their cohesion, and bring about their collapse via political initiative that demonstrates moral legitimacy and vitality of government and by relentless military operations that emphasize stealth/fast-tempo/fluidity-of-action and cohesion of overall effort.

     *If you cannot realize such a political program, you might consider changing sides! -Page 108, Patterns of Conflict, Col. John Boyd

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   They must fear us, if they feel it is necessary to attack us. They know that we are out in the towns of Afghanistan, connecting with the people, and winning them over with jobs and support.  And when we say we are doing this in the name of the Afghan government, and people see the fruits of this labor, well then that makes the government look good.  Happy people, happy government, and sad sad sad Taliban. lol  It also makes the Taliban’s shadow government sad, because now they have to contend with the goodwill the contractors are spreading.

   So what does this mean?  From a strategist point of view, and from a COIN point of view, my people (contractors) are actually connecting with the Afghans and making an impact.  We are the civilian face of the war effort, and the Taliban fear us. They must, if they are purposely trying to attack us–I thought we didn’t matter?

   It also means that we should be doing more of it.  If the Taliban fear what we are doing, then I say increase the effort and further support the various programs that we are involved with out there. Focus on the programs that make the Afghan government look good, and makes the Taliban shadow government look frivolous and pathetic. Keep connecting with the people and providing them with jobs and purpose.

   Now on to another factor of these attacks.  Because the US and ISAF militaries are so hung up on living on the big box FOBs and commuting to work, the Taliban and their shadow government is pushing around the population and terrorizing them into doing what they want.  That is what shadow governments do–they undermine the current government with the idea of making them look illegitimate or ineffectual.  That shadow government will do everything it can to either win over the population, or impose their will on the population.  In order to stop that shadow government, you need to provide a ‘big stick’ in the area that will put the smack down on these guys. You also have to be better at influencing the people than the shadow government. It also helps that the current government is legitimate and not corrupt in the eyes of the people.

   And that is a big problem.  Crazy Karzai and his clown posse is not helping things at all, and in turn, the people have no respect for the government. It will also hurt the troops and police morale, both of the Afghans and of the Coalition.  No one likes working for a loser.

   Ideally, if you can’t change Karzai’s tune, then he should be voted out by the people. Unfortunately, Karzai is rigging the voting booths, and that simple act of screwing with the electoral process is to me the one area that needs to be fixed.  Why would people vote to change out a leader, if they cannot trust that their vote is being counted?  If we are in this war for the long haul, the goal should be to clamp down on election fraud and use every bit of muscle we can to ensure that it is fair. In fact, we should be planning for the next election, and learn from past efforts of worthless elections. We can also use a big stick to beat down this shadow government in the meantime.

   We must get the troops out into the population centers. (FOBs equals few and large, COP’s equals many and small-New Rules of War)  Do it Ramadi style, and convoy right into the worst parts of these towns and cities, and move right on in with a well supported platoon or company. Pick a city block, pay the owners of the block and homes really well, and then walk the beat like a cop.  The image the people should have, is a troop presence, mixed with an Afghan police presence, all with the expressed desire of protecting the people and pushing out this shadow government and enemy forces.  This would be the big stick in these areas, and with this kind of presence, they could also protect the various contractors out there that are trying to get aid out to the people. Clear, hold, build.

    We must protect and serve the people, and to do that, we need to get out there and live where they live.  Or troops can continue to commute to their job site, and protect the people when it is convenient.  Meanwhile, the contractors outside the wire, will continue to be the focus of the Taliban, and the Taliban shadow government will continue to do what they want. Ideally, we must have sound leadership in the Afghan government as well or something the people can respect. Boyd made a point on emphasizing this as well. (see quote up top)

   I would also like to say that I am not alone in this thinking.  Tim from Free Range International has an excellent post on the same subject and I highly recommend his blog to further your research on the matter.-Matt

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Attacks against contractors surging in Afghanistan

By NOOR KHAN and TIM SULLIVAN

April 24, 2010

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The message, very often, is sent with bloodshed.

A suicide bombing last week on a fortified Kandahar guesthouse shared by Western contracting companies killed four Afghans and injured several Americans. An Afghan engineer was shot dead in March as he helped inspect a school not far from the Pakistan border. An Afghan woman who worked for a U.S.-based consulting firm was shot by motorbike-riding gunmen as she headed home in this southern city.

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Saturday, April 17, 2010

Afghanistan: Taliban Targets U.S. Contractors Working On Projects In Afghanistan

Filed under: Afghanistan,Industry Talk — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 5:44 AM

   Rest in peace to all those contractors who have fallen at the hands of the Taliban.  My heart goes out to the friends and families of these heroes.

   What I also want to mention is that it sounds like what these contractors are doing, is a threat to the Taliban.  That is awesome!  These USAID implementing partners are the ones going around and dishing out the money and projects that make the government look good, and keep potential Taliban fighters busy with work.  I say double the size of the program if this is the effect it has, and give these guys what they need for success.

   I also want to highlight all the Afghan guards that have perished in the defense of these folks.  Just read all the incidents below and it is filled with Afghan security contractor KIA’s.  Perhaps it is time to supplement the security for these implementing partners with some expat security, just to make sure that security is being properly done?  Or dress up some military folks to look like civilians, and have them soup up the security for these guys?  The point is, if this current aid strategy is a threat to the Taliban, then maybe we should work a little harder on providing proper security for it? Or maybe these Afghan security forces are sufficient? Tim would probably have something to say about it. –Matt

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Taliban targets U.S. contractors working on projects in Afghanistan

By Joshua PartlowSaturday, April 17, 2010

KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN — The Taliban has begun regularly targeting U.S. government contractors in southern Afghanistan, stepping up use of a tactic that is rattling participating firms and could undermine development projects intended to stem the insurgency, according to U.S. officials.

Within the past month, there have been at least five attacks in Helmand and Kandahar provinces against employees of U.S. Agency for International Development contractors who are running agricultural projects, building roads, maintaining power plants and working with local officials.

The USAID “implementing partners,” as they are known, employ mainly Afghans, who are overseen by foreigners. The companies’ role is becoming increasingly important as more aid money floods into southern Afghanistan as part of a dual effort to generate goodwill and bolster the Kabul government.

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Thursday, April 23, 2009

Jobs: Liaison Officers Supporting USAID, Afghanistan

Filed under: Afghanistan,Jobs — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 8:32 PM

     Hey guys and gals, I am trying to get the word out about this contract for some friends.  It sounds like an interesting gig, and you would definitely be mixing it up to create yourself quite a nice little network if you got the job.  

     The other thing I like about this, is road building.  I like anything in Afghanistan that has to do with road building, and this is the kind of work that can really pay off for public relations there. We will be in Afghanistan for awhile building roads and whatnot, so a position like this would probably have some job security.  Good luck and let me know how it goes if any of you get on with this program.  Oh, and one last thing, I am not the POC for this, and please use the provided email below for all of your questions. Thanks. –Matt

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Former US Military Officers and Staff NCOs Sought for Liaison Positions Providing Coordination  Between US, International, and Afghan Military and Police Personnel

Liaison Officers Wanted for Security Contract Supporting USAID in Afghanistan

Reed Incorporated is presently in the process of hiring former US Military Senior SNCO or Commissioned Officers with a current Secret (or higher) security clearance who have served in the US military and have OIF/OEF experience. Reed Inc. is a Security, Training, Logistics, and Construction Company based in the US.

Liaison Officer Requirements: 

At least two years of experience within the private security sector in the Middle East or Central Asia

Active/current US Secret or higher Security Clearance

Liaison Officer Description of Job Performance

This is a full time position for an initial 12 month period. 

Location: Afghanistan 

Job Description: Provide centralized coordination and liaison as necessary with ISAF, Afghan National Army (ANA), Afghan National Police (ANP), and  other cooperating officials in their areas of operation in support of a road building project under USAID.

Placement: The Liaison Officers will be embedded with US/ISAF Forces. 

Company: Reed Incorporated Leesburg, Virginia 20176

Status:Full TimeJob Category:Liaison Officer

See Reed Website Here

Apply Here 

or Send Resumes by email to: recruiting@reedinc.com  

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