Comments on: The Afghanistan Kajaki Dam and Hydroelectric Plant http://www.captainsjournal.com/2008/11/14/the-afghanistan-kajaki-dam-and-hydroelectric-plant/ News & Commentary on Warfare, Policy and Counterterrorism Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:02:46 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Herschel Smith http://www.captainsjournal.com/2008/11/14/the-afghanistan-kajaki-dam-and-hydroelectric-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-26829 Herschel Smith Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:31:58 +0000 http://www.captainsjournal.com/?p=1535#comment-26829 The use of the word "incantations" doesn't here have any religious connotation. Its use refers to the notion, commonplace among some COIN professionals, that there is some social engineering fix that we can apply, a sort of "easy button," to make this all much less difficult or some how obviate the need to provide security for the population. An example of this would be the notion of arming the tribes in the NWFP so that they can battle the Taliban, without also deploying Pakistani troops to provide security for the population. Dead men can't fight. Another example would be this very article - the idea that electricity will make the Taliban go away. The point is that it's easy to destroy the affects of this hydro station. Make it unsafe for the operators (dead men can't run a plant), or plant explosive ordnance at the bottom of transmission towers (dead transmission lines don't supply power). Reconstruction comes later in the campaign. This post has nothing to do with any religious concept you might or might not have about "coming together." Again, the term incantation refers to the professional COIN practitioners who sometimes seem to treat this as some sort of magic that only they know about. It doesn't really refer to the use of incantations. The use is metaphorical, if you will. The use of the word “incantations” doesn’t here have any religious connotation. Its use refers to the notion, commonplace among some COIN professionals, that there is some social engineering fix that we can apply, a sort of “easy button,” to make this all much less difficult or some how obviate the need to provide security for the population.

An example of this would be the notion of arming the tribes in the NWFP so that they can battle the Taliban, without also deploying Pakistani troops to provide security for the population. Dead men can’t fight.

Another example would be this very article – the idea that electricity will make the Taliban go away. The point is that it’s easy to destroy the affects of this hydro station. Make it unsafe for the operators (dead men can’t run a plant), or plant explosive ordnance at the bottom of transmission towers (dead transmission lines don’t supply power).

Reconstruction comes later in the campaign. This post has nothing to do with any religious concept you might or might not have about “coming together.” Again, the term incantation refers to the professional COIN practitioners who sometimes seem to treat this as some sort of magic that only they know about. It doesn’t really refer to the use of incantations. The use is metaphorical, if you will.

]]> By: Warbucks http://www.captainsjournal.com/2008/11/14/the-afghanistan-kajaki-dam-and-hydroelectric-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-26828 Warbucks Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:57:50 +0000 http://www.captainsjournal.com/?p=1535#comment-26828 The world may be surprised to discover that it may depend on how many of us actually come to a heart-felt sincere willingness to participate in the “incantations.” At some point in our struggle for freedom, it may be wise to find the answer. But I could be wrong. The world may be surprised to discover that it may depend on how many of us actually come to a heart-felt sincere willingness to participate in the “incantations.” At some point in our struggle for freedom, it may be wise to find the answer. But I could be wrong.

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