Great article. Strategy is generated from the top and filters. However, the ultimate execution of strategy is at the bottom. In this instance, the bottom is the culture of “bacha bazi.” As a military, we can not ignore blatant violations of human rights and expect the populace to support us. It appears to me that your article is saying that we must…

Very thought provoking article. AF COL John Boyd postulated three levels of war — moral, mental, and physical, and that the moral level was supreme. If we formulate a strategy that is effective at the physical and mental levels, but fails on the moral level, then we are doomed to defeat. Utilitarian ideas, like the Dershowitz argument mentioned, are…

I agree that “understanding the nature and necessity or our ends” (and our means as well!) is the critical piece…one that we often miss, unfortunately. Design was intended to act as the vehicle to that understanding, but I think we’ve made it too much of a process and in that have lost much of its intended power. Good design could accomplish the…

Let’s draw a crucial distinction here and now. Yes, America has at times committed horrible acts during war. The bombing of cities in WWII comes to mind. Some of the acts done by and to spies in the Cold War qualify. But in both cases, it was our enemies that brought the war to this despicable level and who first used those atrocious tactics against…