Counterinsurgency Principles for the Diplomat

Counterinsurgency is THE buzz word nowadays in certain military cirlces. How can the diplomat remain relevant? Read Kurt Amend’s “Counterinsurgency Principles for the Diplomat” in the Small Wars Journal and follow his instructions!!!!! Kurt Amend is the REAL DEAL having served in Afghanistan, India, Kosovo, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Tajikistan and speaks German, Russian, Hindi, Arabic, Urdu, and Farsi.

Two points worth noting in the article: 1)”Armed with a comprehensive political strategy, fluent in the history and workings of a province, and inclined to help shape desired politicaloutcomes, the diplomat’s effectiveness will be enhanced considerably if he spends every possiblewaking hour with local leaders, officials, and residents.”

And the historical perspective: 2) “Learn all you can about  your Ashraf and Bedu.  Get to know their families, clans and tribes, friends and enemies, wells, hills and roads.” -T. E. Lawrence, “The 27 Lessons of T.E. Lawrence,” The Arab Bulletin, August 20, 1917.

For the Aspiring Diplomat

and those destined for the upper echelons of government in general: Sometimes the biggest barrier to serving your country is obtaining the all-important Security Clearance (examples: Secret, Top Secret, Sensitive Compartmented Information, and Special Access Programs). If you have to ask, the Hybrid Diplomat has the Animal House Double Secret Probation Edition Security Clearance which allows for the viewing of classified material across national governments and alien overlords.

Anyway, this Department of Defense website is worth checking out: http://www.dod.mil/dodgc/doha/industrial/

For all those worried about their past devious mischief, drug use, finances, personal conduct, foreign influence and preference, or even all of the above, THERE IS HOPE!!! Read through some of the cases if you’re concerned about your own clearance prospects. One example is that often times clearances are denied based on finances as the powers that be are concerned that once hired you would be susceptible to selling off classified information to your foreign rellies to pay off your debts. And DoD’s clearance process is apparently stricter than the Department of State’s…

LATE NIGHT ADDITION: Extremely close source (code name: *** ****) to the HD has alerted me to the Yankee White background check: “these clearances require that cleared personnel not be and not have been married to a person of foreign descent and not to have traveled to countries unfriendly to the U.S.” (Citation Needed: 5th paragraph)