Downrange: An Informal Report of a trip to Afghanistan with Marine Gen. James N. Mattis

[Part Four of Four:]

COIN doctrine, counter-insurgency theory, says "protect the people" comes before "kill the enemy." In meeting after meeting we heard all the right things from officers and civilian leaders who were earnest, brave, well-intentioned, smart, sincere, hard-working and absolutely decent and ethical.  We heard about construction projects and rules of engagement and mitigating civilian casualties, about liaising with tribal elders and managing escalation of force and irrigation...