History is important. It shows us what was tried in the past and how well it succeeded or failed. It is for this reason, I bring you Patrick Devenny’s (no relation) analysis of Captain Charles Trower’s, a British cavalry officer who attempted to corral Pashtuns for the British Empire, memoirs. Trower was in charge of ‘Native Horse’, a contingent of British-commanded irregular cavalry largely populated with ethnic Pashtuns near the modern day Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Though Trower and the British military and government never fully were able to bring central governance and stability to the region they did have some successes. Devenny highlights certain effective incentive laden policies implemented by Trower and the British, including: consultation with tribal leaders, targeted recruitment, the
promotion of local elites, and a pay scale that rewarded good conduct
and active participation.
Does the Obama administration’s new strategy now being led by Gen. McChrystal include some of these elements? Well there has definitely been attempts to consult with local tribal leaders, and in this regard targeted recruitment of groups and leaders who can be picked off on the Kabul government’s side, but overall these qualities seem to be lacking. Of course, these policies are much harder to effectively implement than to proscribe.
(Photo Source: SHAH MARAI/AFP/Getty Images)
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