Posted on 04/18/2006 6:01:31 PM PDT by SandRat
AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar, April 18, 2006 – American forces are using an unconventional approach to fighting terrorism in the Horn of Africa, the senior enlisted adviser at U.S. Central Command said. "The weapon systems down there are well-drilling equipment and shovels, and building schools and hospitals, and training border patrols and counterterrorism forces," Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. Curtis Brownhill said. "It's an elaborate civil affairs and security effort that is all about building capacity and confidence."
Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa is a small group of servicemembers who work with governments and U.S. officials in the Horn of Africa to improve life for some of the poorest people in the world. The task force is headquartered in Djibouti and includes operations in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and Yemen.
"We're fighting a war down there and haven't fired a shot," Brownhill said. "We're taking on al Qaeda and associated movements there, and it's the civil affairs piece that's winning it."
The roots of the effort go back to 2002. After coalition and Afghan forces routed the Taliban from Afghanistan and fractured al Qaeda in that country, extremists "needed ungoverned spaces to squirt to, and the Horn of Africa is ripe for that," the chief said.
Central Command representatives went to the Horn of Africa and worked with local governments, with U.S. embassies in the area, and with non-governmental relief agencies to give the people of the region hope. "With the civil affairs assets and training the militaries, (the task force) has provided confidence and capacity, and the people have pushed back from al Qaeda and associated movements trying to find another Afghanistan," Brownhill said.
There are still problems. Continued drought is forecast for the region, and Somalia remains the largest "ungoverned space" on the planet. Warlords rule in the nation, and some are reported to be embracing a Taliban-like rule. Warlords have encouraged piracy, and most are corrupt.
The task force does not work within Somalia. But its work on the periphery of the nation gives people in the region "the will and confidence to say to these groups, 'Not here; not today; not now.' We see a brighter future than a dark oppressed future under warlords of a Taliban-like government," he said.
Efforts in the Horn of Africa are all about building capacity, prosperity and setting conditions for progress. "You find that when you prepare the ground and set those conditions, often you preclude the necessity of having to go in and go to war," he said. "It's the preferred way of fighting."
Does "winning the hearts and minds" really work? Honest question.
and the armchair boys say we aren't adapting tactics....sheesh! What a bunch of noids -nyuck-nyuck-nyuck to the armchair boys complaining.
Sometimes.
Fair enough. Better than never.
In the long run, yes.
Slowly, it does work. And it makes a profound and fundamental change in the whole environment. But it does take time.
Exactly right -
It's a question that has an unyielding caveat to it. If the program goes on below the radar, and the MSM doesn't tumble to it, then it will of course have a good chance of working. In this case, I suspect that the MSM is too busy declaring defeat in Iraq to have devoted much poison to this 'well'.
The MSM knows that it is all a question of recruiting. If they suddenly started a campaign printing that "everyone in the region knows" that accepting help from the Americans is treachery to the national pride, and that only puppets help the imperialists, then eventually, under the propaganda bombardment, all of the good done by our help would sour.
The enemies of the U.S., as well as the Democratic party, (redundancy, I know), realize that the only way to keep recruits coming is to subvert and nullify anything that they perceive is an effective gain in our war on terror.
It is a matter of momentum. The liberals sense that the declaration of defeat in Iraq is enough to swing power their way. Their interests coincide with that of terrorists right now, and they figure that they can "get away with" the covert support by finessing that "it isn't really support for terrorism, since we obviously support our troops". It's simply that they must oppose everything that those troops have fought and died for, in order to make the world safe for re-distribution.
They haven't? - Huh, their economy is only based off of Palestinians working within / among them - They just removed hundreds of Israeli families from their homes in order to give land away.....They pay millions and millions yearly to the Palestinians in Gaza ...the list could go on and on...
You don't know what you are talking about. Winning the hearts and minds in Stan (and the Horn of Africa) is not at all creating a welfare state....it is a process that needs to be done in order for us to be successful (long-term...and short term). Additionally, you are completely wrong that there are not consequences for not living up to agreements with our guys on the ground. Just flat out wrong.
Furthermore Israel does not simply pull its offers (as you suggest)....they have been paying millions to the Palestinian Gov't for years now (all during attacks), they have an economy based off of Palestinian workers (all during attacks)....the reality is the Israelis do both type of Operations...use force but consistently look to win hearts and minds in the process.
But, but, I thought that Bin Laden and his al-queda boys built schools, roads, and infrastructure. Our own esteemed mom-in-tennis-shoes senator, Patty Murray said so.
She surely knows what she's talking about, doesn't she?
(/sickening naivite)
Yeah, the reality of the values of freedom and self-worth spreading throughout both Iraq and Stan. Two Countries who become more and more capable each day - Two Countries who will be strong allies for decades to come.
Your silly notion that the monies we are spending here somehow create a welfare State is ridiculous. The savings from liberating these two nations and starting the beachhead of freedom in the Middle East will pay dividends for generations to come (at an unbelievable cheap price in comparison to the alternative).
Winning the hearts and minds of every day Afghanis and Iraqi's is key. It is very easy for those thousands and thousands of miles away to act like "who cares" what they think about us.....when it isn't you on the ground who's life is at risk...or who is trying to help create a new system of life for these people.
Nope.
Never did, never will.
When the body count hits about 1/3 of the gross population, they start to see things a different way. I don't know why the body count has to be that high. It's just what history teaches. That's all.
Wishful thinking my as$ (but that is neither here nor there). Nor did I ever say we shouldn't use force.
I said there is a role for both! If you are going to be effective in the long run (without question). Hell we rebuilt Europe and Japan (and we are still defending them 60 years later!!).
Additionally not every problem has the same solution. The Middle East is very different from both Europe and Asia.....those who don't understand this reality are simply lost.
Of course you use force (and we have) but once that has been established you use other (non-forceful methods) as much as possible...in order to win the trust and respect of those you are working with.
We have fought and continue to fight the most successful unconventional war in history.....Since Sept 11th, 2001 our enemies have suffered one strategic defeat after another...we have have not suffered one....This is by accident.
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