Dutch defend approach

Several readers took me to task for coming down too easy on the Dutch in my previous post. One Dutch reader who was recently in Uruzgan said "I’ve spent a lot of time traveling in these areas, and devoted quite a bit of effort to finding out exactly what the Dutch were up...I can find very little to praise in the attitude that the Dutch are taking...The terrain in Uruzgan is such that they have the luxury of avoiding the larger-scale clashes that are tying the Brits down in Helmand, but this doesn’t give them the right to preach in the way that they have been doing."

Rest assured, I don't (yet) endorse the Dutch model, but I do think it is a long-term strategy and must be evaluated on its own time-frame (In citing Musa Qala I was trying to illustrate that whether something  worked or not often depends on your time-frame.) MORE

Of course, if Dutch "passivity" undermines efforts elsewhere by allowing insurgents to project power then that's not just a Dutch problem. In any case, it's going to be very hard to establish what's really working because each commander has incentives to defend his own approach.

Speaking of Dutch preaching, Bert Koenders, the Minister for Development Cooperation, spoke Monday at CSIS (with an introduction by Julie Smith). The good folks at CSIS provide the audio here.

Comments

[Péter Marton]

Thanks for the update! Actually, I have already listened to Koenders' speech and even posted on it - you may check that at http://statefailure.blogspot.com. However, it was interesting to read the Dutch reader's comments - I still have a rather negative opinion on the Dutch version of the ink blot/oil spot approach, so I tend to agree with the remark made. More harassment of insurgents is needed, so I concluded, and that's actually just what Australian special troops have recently arrived to Uruzgan for, to carry out clandestine patrols and stuff like that. I found it interesting that Koenders wouldn't mention that in his speech.
You are right that even a soft approach could work in the (potentially very) long run, however, for that NATO, including the Dutch (who will, during the summer or by September the latest, review whether to keep their troops in Uruzgan), would have to have a totally open-ended commitment. And for NATO to be able to completely leave Talibs alone in some remote valleys until there is a chance to split off the more moderate ones from among them (if there are such), the Pakistani border would have to be sealed off completely, which I don't think is a realistic option.

[fjngj]

Welcome to our second life linden center. We can provide all what you want if you want. Our secondlife money are specialized, professional and reliable website for selling cheap linden and providing linden dollars. If you come to buy lindens, we will give you a great surprise.

[buy hero gold]

I always heard something from my neighbor that he sometimes goes to the internet bar to play the game which will use him some hero gold，he usually can win a lot of hero online gold

，then he let his friends all have some hero online money，his friends thank him very much for introducing them the hero money，they usually buy hero gold together.

[Scions Of Fate gold]

Do you know Scions Of Fate gold? I like it.
My brother often go to the internet bar to buy SOF gold and play it.
After school, He likes playing games using these Scions Of Fate money with his friend.
But I do not like to play it. Because I think that it not only costs much money but also spend much time. One day, he give me many cheap SOF goldand play the game with me.
I came to the bar following him and found buy sof goldwas so cheap. After that, I also go to play game with him.

[lynn]

Mobile PCs Dell Inspiron 1300 AC Adapter use a stylus Toshiba PA3467U-1ACA AC Adapter for input on a touch Dell Inspiron 6000 Series keyboard screen using an on-screen Dell Latitude D620 battery keyboard. The Mobile PC Samsung AD-4214L LCD AC Adapter may have capabilities Toshiba PA-1650-01 AC Adapter of handwriting recognition, allowing Dell Inspiron B130 AC Adapter the user to input Toshiba SADP-65KB AC Adapter text using the stylus Dell XPS M140 Series keyboard on the screen and usually offers selection, and drag and drop facility traditionally provided by the mouse using the stylus.Today, you can walk into Laptop parts many brick-and-mortar Laptop Acer AC Adapter electronics and computers retailers Gateway Laptop keyboard and expect to find laptop bargains. Toshiba Laptop keyboard They are just about everywhere. Dell Laptop AC Adapter Prices for bargain laptops have become so low that walking out of a store with one for yourself and Liteon Laptop AC Adapter and one for a friend is even an option. Laptop LCD AC Adapter To save the most money Acer Aspire 1200 AC Adapter when buying a bargain laptop Liteon PA-1131-08 AC Adapter or notebook Gateway PA-1650-01 AC Adapter
Liteon PA-1650-01 AC Adapter
Toshiba Laptop AC Adapter
Toshiba PA3467U-1ACA AC Adapter
Original Gateway PA-1650-01 AC Adapter
Toshiba PA3469U-1ACA AC Adapter
Acer PA-1650-02 AC Adaptercomputer, though, Delta PA-1650-02 AC Adapter going through a major online retailer Liteon PA-1131-08 AC Adapter is the best way to save the most money. Dell Laptop battery that is very important.

[ANY]

nike shoes,men's nike shoes,women's nike shoes,
nike football shoes,nike shox shoes, men's nike shox, women's nike shox, nike airmax shoes, nike airmax 180, nike airmax 2003, nike airmax 2009, nike airmax 360, nike airmax 87, nike airmax 88, nike airmax 89, nike airmax 90, nike airmax 91, nike airmax 90, nike airmax 95, nike airmax 97, nike airmax tn, nike air stab shoes, nike air yeezy shoes, nike airmax ltd, Air Jordan 1 , Air Jordan 10 , Air Jordan 11 , Air Jordan 11.5, Air Jordan 12 , Air Jordan 13, Air Jordan 14 , Air Jordan 15.5, Air Jordan 16, Air Jordan 17, Air Jordan 18, Air Jordan 19, Air Jordan 2.5, Air Jordan 20+AF1, Air Jordan 23, Air Jordan 24,Air Jordan 25, Air Jordan 3, Air Jordan 4, Air Jordan 4.5+13 Fusion,Air Jordan 5, Air Jordan 6, Air Jordan 6+AF1 Fusion, Air Jordan 7 , Air Jordan 8 , Air Jordan 9, Air Jordan Embroidery 4.5, Air Jordan Fusion 11+23, Air Jordan Fusion 12, Air Jordan Fusion 23, Air Jordan Fusion 5, Air Jordan Gold, Air Jordan Fusion 9, Air Jordan Six Mixed One, Air Jordan Three Mixed One, Air Jordan+Obama 11.5, Jordan Six Rings+Obama, Air Jordan Six Rings 11, Jordan True Flight

[wow gold]

buy wow gold
cheap wow power leveling
my wow gold
cheapest wow power leveling
BUY wow gold
cheap wow power leveling
CHEAP rs gold
good wow power leveling
MY lotro gold
CHEAPEST aion gold
buy wow gold
cheap wow gold
CHEAPEST wow gold

[jojo]

Tiffany silver jewelry based Tiffany on sale, classic or modern stylish quality jewelry for both women and men. Our online store now is using McAfee security technology to protect our customers from identity theft, credit card fraud, spam and malicious software. Also we have developed some return and exchange policy for customer service purposes.Shopping online at Tiffany on sale mean
Prada Handbags ,Keen On Sale , Lacoste on sale and MBT On Sale provideyou Louis Vuitton Handbags,Gucci Handbags informaton,
Miu Miu Store , New Balance On Sale are for Shoes And Handbags Fashion,
Prada On Sale provides Prada Shoes,Gucci Shoes,Louis Vuitton Handbags,Gucci Handbags information, Prada Sell is a blog About gucci shoes,gucci jewelry,gucci handbags and other fashion informatoin, Stuart Weitzman Store , The North Face On Sale ,

[cheap jordan shoes]

Thank you for your article, the contents of the following which you will like.Cheap Jordan shoes,UGG Boots, Nike SB,Tiffany Rings, Nike Dunk,Tiffany Jewelry for Sale.Who is also a useful information: Nike Dunk SB,Nike SB for Sale ,Gucci Shoes,Christian Louboutin,Bose headphones.

[world of warcraft gold]

Extravagance to an honest beauty buy wow gold orc was having a permanent place to live at all. They had been nomads or prisoners for buy cheap wow goldso long that the concept of “home”had been all buy gold wowbut lost. Several of the massive, greenish figures tilled a cheapest wow goldfield. Watching metin2 yang the tusked, brutish-looking workersaion gold, Krasus marveled at buy warhammer goldthe concept of orc farmers. Thrall, however, was a aion goldhighly unusual orc and he had readily grasped the ideas that would return aion kinastability to his people. Stability was something the entire world needed wow gold for salebadly. With another wave of his hand, the dragon mage dismissedwow gold cheapKalimdor, summoning now a much closer location—the once world of warcraft goldproud capital of his favored Dalaran. Ruled by the wizards of the Kirin Tor,the prime wielders of magic forcheap aion kina, it had been at the forefront of the Alliance’s battle against Wow Gold the Burning Legionwww.game4power.com in Lordaeron and one of the first and most prized targets of the demons in turn.