Just some questions about COIN (VIII): Do we really tell them what we do there?

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By Major Tom Mcilwaine,
Queen's Royal Hussars

Best Defense guest
columnist

Question Set Eight -- Do we get to choose if we are involved? This
question strays onto uncomfortable territory, particularly for armies which are
subject to civilian political oversight. Put brutally, we go where we are told
to go.

But do we really
tell politicians the whole truth about what we do -- how hard it is and how
uncertain? Or do we suggest to them an element of control over the process of
warmaking that is not really there? If we were more honest with our political
leaders, might they not realize that going to war should be the very last
resort of politics, not merely another policy choice? And does our current COIN
philosophy help to disguise the very real difficulties that we face in the
current operating environment by suggesting that if we just get the force
ratios right, drink enough tea, and so on, then all will be well? Might it
actually be a bit more complicated and complex than that? Culturally, how does
the military's can-do attitude reinforce this dynamic? We won't say no, and we
won't say it can't be done.