"Harry Crumpton, the ex-CIA operative who secretly ran the war against terror in Afghanistan after 9/11, describes using local might to oust al-Qaeda and their Taliban hosts, a strategy he says is needed in Pakistan now, where terrorist leaders are hiding." This is the summary of Lara Logan's interview with Crumpton on CBS' 60 Minutes yesterday. Regular readers know that I advocate peaceful education and empowering local communities, over military force. But if, as Crumpton suggests, terrorist forces are growing in numbers and sophistication, making another catastrophic strike within the US inevitable, then regular readers will also know that I advocate Crumpton's tactic -- using only a few dozen CIA operatives and Special Forces teams to train local (Afghan or Pakistani) forces to fight the Taliban and al-Qaeda themselves. Again, local empowerment is key. It is misguided and counter-productive to go in with tens of thousands of US troops and technology. We are perceived by locals and by the rest of the world as invaders, rather than as catalysts for positive change. The entire thirteen-minute interview is illuminating, and well worth watching.
On a lighter note, in a previous post I described the tornadic phenomenon named Zenyatta, an undefeated thoroughbread mare whose athleticism and endearing personality captivate all who watch her. Here is a brief video of this magnificent animal doing her trademark exuberant pre-race dance during warmup.
And here is another short clip, which never fails to crack me up. Don't honk at old people!!
Finally, Hank Campbell offers a tongue-in-cheek discussion guide to the new biography on the life of Angelina Jolie. Enjoy your day.
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