"... politics is not primary in COIN - culture is, then security/economic wherewithal, then an enabling political structure. You Obamaphiles want to believe it's all about politics etc because Obama's demonstrated world view can comfortably accommodate such a rendering - unfortunately Obama's world view is misguided, hopelessly compromised by vainly rationalizing ends to fit desired means.
During the primaries I warned that Obama's embrace of 'the good war' in Afghanistan was a cynical political calculation conveniently conjured by an abiding arrogance held aloft by wishful thinking and ideological pretensions - Obamaphiles roundly scorned me for suggesting such a calumny against their idol - they wanna believe it's all about the 'best and the brightest', how much brain power you bring to the table - it's not - any grunt can tell you that ya don't follow the smartest guy in the platoon, ya follow the guy who understands how the game is played and the unforgiving nature of the flames in which reality is forged ..."
