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FEATURE STORY BY
GEN. STANLEY A. McCHRYSTAL COMMANDER, INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE and U.S. FORCES AFGHANISTAN
ISAF Commander’s Counterinsurgency Guidance
I
Photo: Lance Cpl. James Clark, USMC
protecting the people is the mission.
SAF’s mission is to help the
Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) defeat the
insurgency threatening their country. Protecting the Afghan people is the
“the conflict will be won by persuading the population, not by destroying the enemy”.
The Afghan people are skeptical and unwilling to commit active support to either side until convinced of a winning proposition. We need to understand the people and see things through their eyes. It is their
mission. The Afghan people will decide
fears, frustrations, and expectations that
who wins this fight, and we [GIRoA and
we must address. We will not win simply
ISAF] are in a struggle for their support.
by killing insurgents. We will help the
The effort to gain and maintain that
Afghan people win by securing them,
support must inform every action we take.
by protecting them from intimidation,
Essentially, we and the insurgents are pre-
violence and abuse, and by operating in
senting an argument for the future to the
a way that respects their culture and
people of Afghanistan: they will decide
religion. This means that we must change
which argument is the most attractive,
the way that we think, act, and operate.
most convincing, and has the greatest
We must get the people involved as
chance of success.
active participants in the success of
The Afghan people are a diverse mix of
their communities. Every action we take
ethnicities and tribes with strong traditions and a fierce sense of independence. Their country has been scarred by 30 years
Photo: Sgt David Alvarado
ISAF Commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal speaks with Afganistan Foreign Minister Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta.
must reflect this change: how we interact with people, how we drive or fly, how we patrol, how we use force, how we fund work
of war, and the fabric of Afghan society has been badly
programs and projects. This is their country, and we are their
damaged. Traditional tribal structures have been undermined
guests. We must think carefully about everything we do and
deliberately by the insurgents; many communities have
understand the impact of our actions on the people we are
fractured. State weakness and corruption erode confidence
here to partner with and protect. Security may not come
in government. Nearly eight years of international presence
from overwhelming firepower, and force protection may mean
has not brought the anticipated benefits.
more personal interaction with the Afghan people, not less.
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