National Security

U.S. colonel canned for committing candor at Afghan HQs

By Mark Thompson | @MarkThompson_DC | August 27, 2010 | +

Apparently the U.S. military doesn’t only have a surplus of generals (see earlier post), but colonels as well.

Army Reserve Col. Lawrence Sellin offers a keen peek at what happens inside the headquarters running the war in Afghanistan.

The blog Danger Room reports he has already been booted for his observations.

Related Topics: afghanistan, National Security

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  • square1

    I’m shocked — shocked! — that in the 21st Century military intelligence remains an oxymoron.

    Poor Col. Sellin may also face a lawsuit from Joseph Heller for plagiarizing Catch-22.

  • http://phd9.blogspot.com Paul Dirks

    This isn’t the first time that overreliance on Powerpoint has been cited as an impediment to clear thinking. Perhaps there’s something to it.

  • gadsbys

    He could have just told them he was Gay if he really wanted to go home that bad.

  • http://twitter.com/ktumulty Karen Tumulty

    It’s delightful to see one of the reporters I respect most here in Swampland.

  • nflfoghorn

    It’s also nice to hear from alumni :)

  • nflfoghorn

    …and BrightBoy gets another person fired….

  • centfan

    If they had a Biz Hub we would have won the war and all the hearts and minds by now.

  • apr2563


    .
    Watching the video included in the link will give you a real picture of the Afghan “war”.
    .
    It is a terrifying story captured by the reporter/photographer.
    .
    There is no chance in h*ll we will ever convert the Taliban or defeat them. The video let’s us look into the religious and cultural motivation of mujahideen that can never be bridged by the West.
    .
    It is a 25 minute video that is worth watching. Know thy “enemy”.

  • sacredh

    You are missed KT.

  • apr2563

    Mark and Karen, if you haven’t seen the video I posted at number 7 please take a look. It is also posted at the Daily Dish and Huff Po. It is a startling close up look at the Taliban in action.

  • sasquatch08

    Ah the joy of multi-national relations. Let me point you people to a few key phrases here:
    .
    ” It is composed of military representatives from all the NATO countries, several of which I cannot pronounce.”
    .
    Does that not sound like a problem? Could there possibly be a language barrier between a U.S. Colonel and someone that speaks a language from a country he can’t even pronounce?
    .
    ” IJC has successfully grown into a stove-piped and bloated organization, top-heavy in rank.”
    .
    Sounds like government work to me. Let enough governments get involved and they ALL have to have a General in there and he comes with his Colonel and staff.
    .
    “And you can’t skip these events because they take roll — just like gym class…” (and a few following paragraphs).
    .
    Welcome to the military, especially a multi-national force. Thanks for joining.
    .
    The main problem here is that this article seems to make this a military problem when it is not. The problem is that the military of the West is run by the politicians (not in and of itself a problem) who come to “political compromises” that don’t work well in the field. It’s literally that simple. “The Utility of Force: The Art of War in the Modern World” read it… and stop talking until you do.

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