Don’t you expect that an Afghan expert is required to have lived in Afghans for atleast a year, have fluency in one of the native languages (Dari or Pashtu), and have completed graduate courses related to Afghanistan or have written his master’s thesis on Afghanistan.

Mr. Johnson has never lived in Afghanistan or Pakistan. Occassional trips to Afghanistan or Pakistan to interview people don’t suffix.

Mr. Johnson has never spoken a word of Dari or Pashto. Language is the gatekeeper to understand culture or a people.

Mr. Johnson never lists where he got his master’s degree from. When you check the Naval Postgraduate School website you notice that crucial piece of information missing. He also does not correct people who assume he must have a prestigious PH.D. during meetings, conferences, seminars or when considering him for publications in peer reviewed journals. By faking this Ph.D. perception he passes himself off as a doctorate trained expert on Afghanistan.

By very cautious of the sophmoric expert who does not have training, education, language abilities, faking his credentials.

The expert is usually a profound philosopher distinguished for wisdom and sound judgment, but Mr. Johnson does only quote Kipling literature when discussing Afghanistan and Pakistan. Kipling, the guy who wrote “The White Man’s Burden”.

Plus, I agree with everything you’ve said, so I’m glad I don’t have to say it, now.

On the other hand, a good field assistant, many of whom know both languages also, is an outstanding resource to check interpretations and learn from. But again, it is no substitute for the drudgery of language learning.

Irrespective of the factual errors McFate points out, the basic flaws of the HTS program remain. I think that in the long run, anthropology offers people in foreign affairs and the military a lot. But what this story points out, is that there are many barriers in the cultures of the military and anthropology alike which restrict communication. Even if HTS cannot do anything to mediate between Iraqi civilians and the US military, perhaps they can find a way to make foreign policy and military practice more cognizant of cultural issues.

I’ll keep making inquires. In the meantime, if anyone that may on the off chance still have their comments please post them again and I will make sure they are appearing.