“The many shifts and changes in propaganda by Saddam Hussein should make us remember how fluid, contested and volatile culture really is. Iraqis have ‘tradition’, but they also have politics, they may have tribe, but they also have the interpenetration of ideas, technology and influence.

“Unfortunately, dodgy ideas of culture are not just evident in popular media, but amongst some retired generals, academics, at least one senior cultural anthropologist, respected public affairs journals, and military doctrine. Hopefully the talented (and brave) folk at the HTS will push back against this wave.”

It is like this:

“I’m no pacifist, although that was suggested recently as well. My recurring critique on wars might mislead people to that conclusion, but in fact I’m just hard to convince about going to war and continuing wars for far-reaching goals. I frequently use the word “needless” in combination with “war”. As I see it, there are wars that need to be fought and wars that are plain stupid.”

Show me a single really necessary, well-justified COIN war outside your own nation in history.
Afaik, you could always easily withdraw and the partisans rarely if ever pursuit (some troublesome examples exist in sub-saharan Africa, though). I don’t need to expect defeat to say no to such wars.
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Fabius Maximus replies: Nicely said! This echos these lines from Gone with the Wind, which follow those I quoted in “A militant America, ready for war with Iran“.

Mr. O’HARA: And what does the captain of our troop say?

ASHLEY: Well, gentlemen…if Georgia fights, I go with her. But like my father I hope that the Yankees let us leave the Union in peace.

MAN1: But Ashley… MAN2: Ashley, they’ve insulted us.

MANS: You can’t mean that you don’t want war.

ASHLEY: Most of the miseries of the world were caused by wars. And when the wars were over, no one ever knew what they were about.

Found your mistake, Sven. Requiring a warrant before searching a house would be treating foreigners BETTER than we treat our citizens. Read the PATRIOT act.

It’s also no good idea to believe that a military convoy owns the road and can shoot/ram other vehicles that are “too” close. “COIN - four choices, no more” This kind of stuff is typical for excessive force protection that hurts the mission.
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Fabius Maximus replies: When this war ends (I only write “if it ends” when depressed), the #1 discussion I suspect to see will be “Is COIN possible for foreign occupiers?” the evidence is at best mixed so far. Also, I am disappointed that you missed the opportunity to title that post “Four COIN’s - no more.”