The US Army has introduced an innovative way to reduce the violence and bring the fruits of good governance to rural Afghanistan – tactical anthropology:
HABAK VALLEY, Afghanistan
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AcademicBy lex, on October 5th, 2007
October 5th, 2007 | Tags: Politics and Culture | Category: Uncategorized
22 comments to Academic |
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Amen Lex.
The Army now wants to try to approach other cultures with sensitivity and caution?
How dare they! If allowed to pursue this course, they might actually force some of our students to challenge their own prejudices about the military, or about the possibility for positive US influence in a violent world.
Can’t have that. They’ll realize how full of crap are their professors.
Cap’n,
What I find so interesting about this little professorial snit is that George Mason University is just a short drive to military bases ringing Washington, D.C. To say many current and former members of all branches (including yours truly) attend(ed) George Mason is the richest of understatements.
I also note Dr. Walter Williams, the insightful Economics Professor whose articles are widely read in conservative Web Sites, is the John Olin Distinguished Professor in Economics at the very same institution.
Perhaps the good Professor Gusterson is just trying to advertise for his rather lowly attended Department? If nothing else, he can always use his screed in the ‘Publish or Perish’ contest.
What a snot. He and his kind might be forced to challenge their gloom and doom attitudes with a visit to the AO. These types have much more in common with the Taliban that they realize – George Mason would not be amused.
Trust the liberal academics to try to tie the hands of military and block any possible successes. Trust them to denigrate those making an effort to assist in those successes.
It’s a standard play for them any more.
And disgusting.
Note that “Tracy” is working not in Iraq but in Afghanistan–the place so many “progressives” say they were in favor of concentrating our military efforts.
If a professor doesn’t think that fellow academics should help US forces in Afghanistan, he probably doesn’t think they should help US forces *anywhere*.
Quite a change from WWII, when many academics did their best to help enable a US victory. (As with the work of anthropologist Ruth Benedict)
I read this story and I thought it’s a terrific idea. Ignore the ivory tower “academics,” and their bloviating. Good for the anthropologists.
What a bunch of poseurs. I suspect their real problem with all of this is that they have committed the cardinal sin of leaving the realm of the abstract and theoretical for the applied.
Scary place, that real world.
*sigh*
This is another example of the adaptability and creativity of the military. My first impulse was that it was a craven attempt to co – opt academia, but that is patently false. Co – opting academia would entail generous employment of , like, English Professors and Black/womens/GLT studies professors. We already have in toto a brigade of Lawyers. Where to distribute a similar brigade of transgender studies professors? What symbol would go on their shoulder boards and coat sleeves in place of the star? I’m available to the Pentagon as a private contractor to provide answers to these questions. $40 million should do it. Willing to be based in West Virginia , Alaska or even SF for Nancy.
Meh. This reminds me of DoD efforts to consult with doctors (medical and psychiatric) to determine what does and does not constitute “torture”. Said doctors were then labelled “torture doctors” and condemned for psrticipating by certain critics who couldn’t accept that the motive was to ensure prisoners weren’t tortured.
So yes, for years now I’ve heard the complaint that GIs don’t understand teh culture of the people of the natuions in which we wage war. That’s a valid point – though GIs probably undersand those cultures MUCH better than any academic whose primary exposure is via textbooks or brief visits with fellow academic members of said societies.
It’s only when such complaints are (torture/culture whatever) confronted and addressed that the real motive of those making them are fully revealed. In any endeavor with inherent challenges innovative solutions will always spark cries from the incurable whiners.
It takes courage to take a stand to make a difference. I salute the the scientists that risk their own safety to go out there and make a difference to the lives of both american soldiers as well as those that they have helped. Gusterson is disgusting and revolting at best.
Glory be! Another very belated yet encouraging and much needed change in strategy and tactics.
But some, rather than celebrating this needed change, are concentrating more on an academic who is but a small footnote to this welcomed story. If so very interested, maybe they should at least read his/their petition. It is well stated and they have a right to their opinion, but I hardly agree with it. Nor is it worth getting worked up over.
What is important is that we are finally learning how to do COIN successfully.
It is bold action by this patriotic anthropologist that is the real ‘crime’ in the eyes of other wackademics.
Yer spozed to whine endlessly on the safe sidelines. Spin abstract speculations that can’t be proven or disproven. Sez right here in the the union rules.
Not risk your life and apply your insights to win Victory.
fliterman, I burn for the day when – freed from the shackles which now restrict you – you hang out your own blog shingle and I can comment on the posts that you have written that I would have done differently. I expect that exchange will be as illuminating for you as your oft-stated preferences have been for me.
I would think that Anthropologist’s would be overjoyed for a Job that dosen’t involve the phrase “Would you like Fries with that?”
fliterman, I burn for the day when…
Ow.
Stings, that does.
I’m glad to see the DOD thinking like this. A big factor in the fiasco (debacle) in Vietnam was the neglect by the Pentagon of the social and cultural dynamics on the ground. That neglect led to the complete misunderstanding of what the people of Vietnam wanted (as compared to Diem and his entourage), and misdirected effort to bring about a result that would never have worked in that society.
Yay, Lex! Y’all know why…
Well now … this cheers me up some. Two steps forward and only one step back. Tiny yet noticeable progress — and in my lifetime too. I’ll drink to that, friends….
Marianne Matthews
I don’t care if they use anthropologists, sociologists, historians or archeologists…as long as it helps us ‘bring to justice’ the terrorists..so be it..
However, IF those folks have the same effect on our operating forces as the military lawyers presently have on ops today..adios MFs.
b2
I used to have a quote posted in my office that essentially said that the bias of experts is immutable. A priest saw all problems from religion and a soldier saw all problems from security. The intent was that such biases were to be guarded against. I really wish I could find it again. From the story, it appears the anthropologists are providing a different viewpoint to field commanders. One they are finding useful in accomplishing their mission. A side benefit of having the anthropologists working alongside the troops. More than a few sergeants will learn by observing and incorporate the awareness and observational techniques into their tactical repertoire.
[...] the time. - Could you imagine the Air Force dropping this on Iran?- Interesting link about tactical anthropology in Afghanistan.- Here is another perfect example of the left hating [...]
I find it ironic that at least weekly in any major newspaper one will find an editorial about how important, and difficult, it is to find good teachers. Then I see the peer pressure evident in the job and wonder how they find any at all.
Note to self: consider home-schooling the sprog. The time taken to de-program her could be better spent teaching her in the first place.
– Max