(AFP/File/Mahmud Hams)Two Key Items: Fatwas & Sharia Courts
If you are a regular reader of this blog or others you will note that most of the local and regional criticism of the US and NATO COIN strategy is centered around the lack of Muslim involvement. How does NATO get around this without requesting a mass conversion of all civilians and military members in Afghanistan to Islam?
Operations Conducted under Fatwas
The Imams of the Grand Mosque in Mecca must support the mission. Request a fatwa from the Imams justifying NATO presence for the pacification of Afghanistan. In addition, if they could mention some words about government corruption, that would be fantastic.
NATO Sharia Courts
Battle space owners should be less concerned with the grooming standards of other units operating in their area of operations. Instead they should have their local Islamic scholars hand out death sentences for local Taliban to culturally justify the NATO kill / capture missions. If they are uncomfortable handing out such edicts, ask for rulings to forbid Taliban protection.
One of the main objectives of population-centric COIN is to push the population off the fence having them choose sides. Fighting against pashtunwali and Islam is a near-impossible venture. Instead use it to your advantage and try not to radically change the indigenous culture.
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