Social Science Goes to War: The Human Terrain System in Iraq and Afghanistan

Cover
Half-title
Title
Copyright
Contents
Foreword
1. Introduction: Unveiling the Human Terrain System
	Origins of the Human Terrain System
		Innovation from Failure
		Origin of the Term “Human Terrain”
		From the Ground Up
		HTS Mission Statement
		The Learning Curve
		Structure of HTS
		Complexities
		Program Development Team Lessons Learned
		Organizational Process Team Lessons Learned
		Team Tribulations
	Value of Social Science
	Controversy
		Academic Reactions
		Military Reactions
	Purpose of the Book
	Structure of the Book
	Conclusion
2. Mind the Gap: Bridging the Military/Academic Divide
	Academic/Military Divide
		Cultural Gap
		Connectivity Gap
		The Academic “Cult of Irrelevance”
		The “Cult of Major Combat Operations”
		Science and Technology Portfolio
		Lack of Coordination
		Lack of Foreign Area Officers
		Intelligence System
	A Perfect Storm
		New Center of Gravity
		New Tasks
		Socio-cultural Knowledge Shortfall
	Military “Rediscovers” Culture
		Addressing the Shortfall
	The Academic/Military Divide Downrange
		From Policy Relevance to Operational Relevance
	The Anthropology Backlash
	Conclusion
3. An Anthropologist at War in Afghanistan
	What Am I Doing Here?
	The Base
	My First Mission
	An Uncertain Success
	The Soldiers and the New War
	Farewell
4. What Do You Bring to the Fight? A Year in Iraq as an Embedded Social Scientist
	The Qur’an Shooting
	The Provincial Elections
	The Sheikhs of Abu Ghraib
	Conclusion
5. Playing Spades in Al Anbar: A Female Social Scientist Among Marines and Special Forces
	Professional Beginnings
	Integrating with the Marines in Iraq
		The Hit Hospital Study
		Preparing for Tripoli
		In the Field
	At the Special Forces Outpost
	In Conclusion
6. The Four Pillars of Integration: How to Make Social Science Work in a War Zone
	Pillar One: Short-term Recommendations
		Zadran Unity
		Paving a Road
	Pillar Two: Medium-term Measures of Effect
		Term Assessments
		Measures of Effect
	Pillar Three: Long-term Analysis of Sources Of Instability
		Getting Out as Good Governance
	Pillar Four: Integration with the Host Unit
		Organization
		Top to Bottom Integration
	The Hidden Foundation: Adopting a New Style
	Conclusion
7. Investing in Uncertainty: Applying Social Science to Military Operations
	Reconciling Intelligence and Social Science
	Understanding Variation in Meaning
	Recognizing the Limits of Military Epistemology
	Grasping the Etic/Emic Distinction
	Finding the Meaning of “Social Science”
8. Allied Civilian Enablers and the Helmand Surge
	Basrah as a Harbinger
	Blood-curdling Sangin
	Continuing the Pattern in Afghanistan
	Civilian Enablers
	Searching for the Exiles
	Christmas in Sangin
	Staying True to Our Beliefs
	The Heart of the Matter: Conclusions
9. Assessing the Human Terrain Teams: No White Hats or Black Hats, Please
	Anthropology’s Litany of Shame
		The Role of Shame in the Human Terrain
		Commissions on the Engagement of Anthropology with the US Security and Intelligence Communities
		Debate Concerning “Military Anthropology”
	Surveying the Human Terrain
		Motives for Joining HTS
		Preparation for Work
		Types of Engagement
		Ethical Codes
		Purported Lack of Review
		Lethal Targeting
		Identification of Self to Informants
		Secrecy/Classification
		Integration with Supported Units
		Shunning
	The Future Of HTS
	Conclusion
10. Tangi Valley: The Limitations of Applied Anthropology in Afghanistan
	The Military Value of Social Science
	The Limitations of Applied Anthropology
		Participation
		Classification
		Operational Constraints
		Mindset of Some Traditional Officers
	The Case for Socio-political Advisors
	Conclusion
11. The Human Terrain System: Some Lessons Learned and the Way Forward
	An Urgent Need
		Existing Capabilities
		Conducting an Experiment
		Amalgamating a Team
	Obstacles
		Contractor Crisis
		Family Feud!
	HTT Accomplishments
	HTS Evaluations
		Internal Assessments
		External Assessments
	The Future Of HTS
		Outside Partners
		Tackling Other Challenges
Appendix: Interview Questions for HTS Personnel
Notes
Index