“The other problem is that the priority of many soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan is operational security: not getting killed. Now that is a very valid priority, but it has to be balanced against many other priorities, especially not killing too many locals in the process.” ProblemProcessSecurityKillingSoldierIraqPrioritiesLocalsAfghanistanBalanced Author:Yaroslav Trofimov
“In a country like Iraq with its culture of blood feuds - is that the more locals are killed, the more motivation there is for the insurgency, for the insurgents the more feelings of revenge there are, and in the end the more the operational security of the soldiers suffers, because any soldier who kills an infant today is grooming the killer of his mate tomorrow.” EndsCountryFeelingsTodayMotivationSufferingCultureBloodSecurityTomorrowSoldierIraqRevengeLocalsMatesKillersInfantInsurgentGroomingInsurgencyFeuds Author:Yaroslav Trofimov
“The American official was trying to talk about aid and development projects and finally a local tribal chief got up and said, "Even if you turn our country into heaven, we don't want it from you. Just leave us."” IfsWantTryingSaidCountryTurnsHeavenDevelopmentProjectsAidsLocalsOur CountryChiefsOfficials Author:Yaroslav Trofimov
