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

Annotation The Human Terrain System (HTS) was catapulted into existence in 2006 by the US military's urgent need for knowledge of the human dimension of the battlespace in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its centrepiece was embedded groups of mixed military and civilian personnel, known as Human Terrain Teams (HTTs), whose mission was to conduct social science research and analysis and to advise military commanders about the local population. Bringing social science - and actual social scientists - to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was bold and challenging. Despite the controversy over HTS among scholars, there is little good, reliable source material written by those with experience of HTS or about the actual work carried out by teams in theatre. This volume goes beyond the anecdotes, snippets and blogs to provide a comprehensive, objective and detailed view of HTS. The contributors put the program in historical context, discuss the obstacles it faced, analyse its successes, and detail the work of the teams downrange. Most importantly, they capture some of the diverse lived experience of HTS scholars and practitioners drawn from an eclectic array of the social sciences Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Foreword 9 1. Introduction: Unveiling the Human Terrain System 15 Origins of the Human Terrain System 16 Innovation from Failure 16 Origin of the Term “Human Terrain” 19 From the Ground Up 20 HTS Mission Statement 23 The Learning Curve 26 Structure of HTS 26 Complexities 29 Program Development Team Lessons Learned 30 Organizational Process Team Lessons Learned 32 Team Tribulations 34 Value of Social Science 37 Controversy 43 Academic Reactions 43 Military Reactions 48 Purpose of the Book 53 Structure of the Book 55 Conclusion 58 2. Mind the Gap: Bridging the Military/Academic Divide 59 Academic/Military Divide 60 Cultural Gap 62 Connectivity Gap 65 The Academic “Cult of Irrelevance” 67 The “Cult of Major Combat Operations” 69 Science and Technology Portfolio 71 Lack of Coordination 72 Lack of Foreign Area Officers 73 Intelligence System 74 A Perfect Storm 74 New Center of Gravity 75 New Tasks 76 Socio-cultural Knowledge Shortfall 77 Military “Rediscovers” Culture 79 Addressing the Shortfall 83 The Academic/Military Divide Downrange 86 From Policy Relevance to Operational Relevance 90 The Anthropology Backlash 94 Conclusion 100 3. An Anthropologist at War in Afghanistan 105 What Am I Doing Here? 109 The Base 112 My First Mission 115 An Uncertain Success 120 The Soldiers and the New War 126 Farewell 131 4. What Do You Bring to the Fight? A Year in Iraq as an Embedded Social Scientist 133 The Qur’an Shooting 134 The Provincial Elections 140 The Sheikhs of Abu Ghraib 146 Conclusion 151 5. Playing Spades in Al Anbar: A Female Social Scientist Among Marines and Special Forces 155 Professional Beginnings 156 Integrating with the Marines in Iraq 157 The Hit Hospital Study 161 Preparing for Tripoli 163 In the Field 167 At the Special Forces Outpost 174 In Conclusion 177 6. The Four Pillars of Integration: How to Make Social Science Work in a War Zone 181 Pillar One: Short-term Recommendations 182 Zadran Unity 182 Paving a Road 183 Pillar Two: Medium-term Measures of Effect 184 Term Assessments 184 Measures of Effect 186 Pillar Three: Long-term Analysis of Sources Of Instability 188 Getting Out as Good Governance 189 Pillar Four: Integration with the Host Unit 191 Organization 192 Top to Bottom Integration 194 The Hidden Foundation: Adopting a New Style 196 Conclusion 198 7. Investing in Uncertainty: Applying Social Science to Military Operations 201 Reconciling Intelligence and Social Science 203 Understanding Variation in Meaning 209 Recognizing the Limits of Military Epistemology 213 Grasping the Etic/Emic Distinction 221 Finding the Meaning of “Social Science” 223 8. Allied Civilian Enablers and the Helmand Surge 227 Basrah as a Harbinger 228 Blood-curdling Sangin 231 Continuing the Pattern in Afghanistan 234 Civilian Enablers 236 Searching for the Exiles 243 Christmas in Sangin 244 Staying True to Our Beliefs 246 The Heart of the Matter: Conclusions 247 9. Assessing the Human Terrain Teams: No White Hats or Black Hats, Please 251 Anthropology’s Litany of Shame 252 The Role of Shame in the Human Terrain 255 Commissions on the Engagement of Anthropology with the US Security and Intelligence Communities 257 Debate Concerning “Military Anthropology” 260 Surveying the Human Terrain 263 Motives for Joining HTS 265 Preparation for Work 266 Types of Engagement 266 Ethical Codes 268 Purported Lack of Review 269 Lethal Targeting 271 Identification of Self to Informants 272 Secrecy/Classification 272 Integration with Supported Units 274 Shunning 275 The Future Of HTS 275 Conclusion 276 10. Tangi Valley: The Limitations of Applied Anthropology in Afghanistan 279 The Military Value of Social Science 280 The Limitations of Applied Anthropology 283 Participation 284 Classification 291 Operational Constraints 293 Mindset of Some Traditional Officers 296 The Case for Socio-political Advisors 300 Conclusion 302 11. The Human Terrain System: Some Lessons Learned and the Way Forward 305 An Urgent Need 306 Existing Capabilities 307 Conducting an Experiment 308 Amalgamating a Team 310 Obstacles 313 Contractor Crisis 313 Family Feud! 316 HTT Accomplishments 319 HTS Evaluations 321 Internal Assessments 322 External Assessments 323 The Future Of HTS 327 Outside Partners 328 Tackling Other Challenges 329 Appendix: Interview Questions for HTS Personnel 331 Notes 333 Index 379 The Human Terrain System (hts) Was Catapulted Into Existence In 2006 By The Us Military's Urgent Need For Knowledge Of The Human Dimension Of The Battlespace In Iraq And Afghanistan. Its Centrepiece Was Embedded Groups Of Mixed Military And Civilian Personnel, Known As Human Terrain Teams (htts), Whose Mission Was To Conduct Social Science Research And Analysis And To Advise Military Commanders About The Local Population. Bringing Social Science - And Actual Social Scientists - To The Wars In Iraq And Afghanistan Was Bold And Challenging. Despite The Controversy Over Hts Among Scholars, There Is Little Good, Reliable Source Material Written By Those With Experience Of Hts Or About The Actual Work Carried Out By Teams In Theatre. This Volume Goes Beyond The Anecdotes, Snippets And Blogs To Provide A Comprehensive, Objective And Detailed View Of Hts. Introduction: Unveiling The Human Terrain System / Montgomery Mcfate And Janice H. Laurence -- Mind The Gap: Bridging The Military/academic Divide / Montgomery Fate -- An Anthropologist At War In Afghanistan / Ted Callahan -- What Do You Bring To The Fight? A Year In Iraq As An Embedded Social Scientist / Katherine Blue Carroll -- Playing Spades In Al Anbar: A Female Social Scientist Among Marines And Special Forces / Jennifer A. Clark -- The Four Pillars Of Integration: How To Make Social Science Work In A War Zone / Kathleen Reedy -- Investigating In Uncertainty: Applying Social Science To Military Operations / James Dorough-lewis Jr. -- Allied Civilian Enablers And The Helmand Surge / Leslie Adrienne Payne -- Assessing The Human Terrain Teams: No White Hats Or Black Hats, Please / Carolyn Fluehr-lobban And George R. Lucas Jr. -- Tangi Valley: The Limitations Of Applied Anthropology In Afghanistan / Brian G. Brereton -- The Human Terrain System: Some Lessons Learned And The Way Forward / Janice H. Laurence. Montgomery Mcfate, Janice H. Laurence, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "The Human Terrain System (HTS) was catapulted into existence in 2006 by the US military's urgent need for knowledge of the human dimension of the battlespace in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its centerpiece was embedded groups of miexed military and civilian personnel, known as Human Terrain Teams (HTTs), whose mission was to conduct social science research and analysis and to advise military commanders about the local population."