Barack Obama, Robert Gates, and the Rumsfeld Pentagon-State Relationship

Civilian Agencies at Risk in some areas

The military has assumed many of the tasks normally associated with civilian agencies and NGO's because of the risks involved in these areas. The military (notably the SEABEEs and Red Horse) have been able to establish critically necessary infrastructure like roads, drinking water, shelter, and set security standards all at the same time. They can not only do the job by working alongside the locals - they can protect the worksite. NGO's often also have a track record of being co-opted and used by the recipients of the aid to further other political objectives - ie. many of the NGO's in the Philippines funneled cash and equipment to the CPP and other criminal groups. This doesn't happen with the USMIL. The Army Special Forces is particularly adept at establishing training bases that dove-tail with community projects in areas where a civilian organization would not be allowed to operate. All of this came about in recent times because of the instability in areas like Iraq and Afghanistan. The military became the defacto USG representative on some of these projects in Iraq and Afghanistan because of risk - not because DOD wanted to assume this responsibility. As far as something failing in Afghanistan - well - you have to go there to appreciate how that could happen. I think the writer Stephen Gaine must have been lobbied by a civilian agency with an agenda.

Civilian Agencies are over their heads

DOD is the only expeditionary organization in the US Gov. It trains its personnel to do deliberative planning and then to be brutally honest in its self critique. I may have taken years, and a immature private can cause strategic failures, but military leadership - at least at the "nuts and bolts" level - is based on effectiveness, not agendas and politics.

I have worked for civilian agencies and left to take a commission in the Army. As an Infantry officer in Baghdad last year, I particpated in the most meaningful work of my life. The civilians on the ground were completely ineffective and just too slow at execution. They hid on large FOBs and wasted money on silly, needless projects. Their fear bred contempt on the streets and they never gained the trust of the locals. Civilians complaining about the role of the military in Stability Ops do not have US policy or the people/nation we are help as their primary interest. They are mearly campaigning for more funds and their own self promotion.