Our Strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan. Is it working?

COL Gian Gentile, the current Dean of History at the USMA, presents a very interesting case for Counter Insurgency (COIN) doctrine.  COIN is the current method of operation in Iraq and Afghanistan.  GEN Petraeus was the Iraq and Afghanistan commander who is credited with the 'huge success' in turning the corner in Iraq in 2008-09 with the Surge and COIN approach.

The questions he poses is that the success in Iraq was not due to a change in tactics from conventional to
COIN operations- it was due to other external and internal factors unrelated to COIN.  The supposed 'success' in Iraq would have happened without the 'surge' and GEN Petraeus' change in approach (COIN)

However, COL Gentile takes a look at history and COIN to debunk the myth(s) of COIN and its supposed success.  Furthermore, he presents historical evidence from Israel experiences in Lebanon to UK Colonial India to US involvement in Vietnam. 

His thinking will definitely challenge your thinking on Iraq and Afghanistan.  Furthermore, it is somewhat comforting to think that the 'Establishment' would allow someone like him who is opposed to the popular 'COIN' group-think to not only teach, but be the Dean of the department. 

Two articles that are very interesting in COL Gentile and how he has challenged the current 'COIN' thinking in the US Army and Department of Defense as a whole.

http://original.antiwar.com/vlahos/2009/05/06/gian-gentile-exposing-counterfeit-coin/

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120753402909694027.html

Ron Paul

Ron Paul is like Newt Gingrich (or even Al Gore)- extremely smart and their thoughts/stances cannot be boiled down to one 'sound bite'. Which is why most people like them do not make it this far in national politics.

This is the problem with our electorate- the collective 'we' want a flashy, make me feel good kind of candidate, or the 'empty suit'. Paul's ideas are outside of the 'mainstream' and is proud to not subscribe to 'group-think'. His definitions of 'Patriotism' and defeating an enemy is different than the others.

He supports the troops by defining what he means down deep- not just the rhetoric. Any politician that is worth their salt will tell you the good, bad and the ugly (Soc Sec benefits cannot be sustained, we need to cut X, Y and Z to balance the budget, etc)

The ill-informed electorate (majority of those that vote, unfortunately) is not smart enough to process this information- so they vote for the guy in the empty-suit with a flashy smile. Paul is not a flashy guy with a million-dollar smile. Personally, I am pleased to see that he is gaining some traction on the 'Libertarian' side of the GOP.

This is a similar problem the Judicial system has problems- a ignorant jury pool. The lawyers on either side want a group of lemmings who are easily swayed. Stupid. If you think and have a methodical mind and do not subscribe to 'group think'- you are disqualified. Maybe it is time to have a full-time jury! They are skilled at critical thinking, decision-making and seeing through the Bull that lawyers feed them.

Top Ten List: Why I'm Glad to Be Leaving Beaufort

Top Ten

Things I will not miss about Beaufort, SC

10. Swing bridge open means your 20 minutes trip to Walmart is now 45".
9. War of Northern Aggression.
8. Dysfunctional School System and School Board.
7. Vast number of Liberal and Ungodly churches.
6. Limited number of Theologically-sound Biblically-based churches.
5. Racism: It is alive and well, both ways, in Beaufort.
4. Driving an hour to get to the closest Mall (Savannah).
3. More Mexican restaurants per-capita than Mexico City.
2. People think they are 'big shots' in Beaufort, but are nothing but a stinky fish in a very small pond.

And the Number One Reason why I am glad to be leaving Beaufort, SC...

1. Those !$%@*&@$ Sand fleas that only come out when the temperature and humidity are perfect for sitting on the Front Porch.

Church Membership and the SBC

Thomas Ascol presented this resolution (again) for honest reporting and who is a 'regenerate church member'.

Watch the video below.

http://sbcvoices.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2007-06-16T15%3A33%3A00-04%3A00&max-results=7

Resolution Committee, a lot of 'FEELINGS', The committee 'Feels' or 'Felt'

Our church decided to honestly report our numbers because of the honesty issue. We don't have 450 members (which is what we reported). Salvation is not based on church membership. We have around 200 members with 110 who come to Sunday School.

Pastor Ascol's discipleship and 'Foundations' for teaching children and adults is outstanding and true discipleship.

The New Baptist Covenant

The New Baptist Covenant is an interesting idea. A couple of points to get this one started:

They reaffirmed their commitment to traditional Baptist values, including sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and its implications for public and private morality (1).

They specifically committed themselves to their obligation as Christians to promote peace with justice, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, care for the sick and the marginalized, welcome the strangers among us, and promote religious liberty and respect for religious diversity (2).

(1): Former president, Bill "Is-Is" Clinton, supports this organization. His church, in Arkansas, is aligned with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. I guess these 'commitments' are 'flexible', as is CBF theology (Public and private morality) Hmm...

(2): Since former president Jimmy Carter believes that Mormons are going to Heaven, I guess it is not that important to place the Great Commission in as one of the specific commitments.

Since Jimmy "Many Paths" Carter doesn't require accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, I guess Evangelism doesn't need to be on the 'A' list.

Fortunately SBC President had this to say about this organization:

Southern Baptist Convention president Frank Page released a statement reproving former President Jimmy Carter's New Baptist initiative, saying, "I will not be a part of any smokescreen leftwing liberal agenda that seeks to deny the greatest need in our world, that being that the lost be shown the way to eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord."

(1) We see which leader/organization has the TRUE needs of the lost world at heart.