“Despite our cultural training, we remained ignorant of the cultural and political nuances that would affect our ability to run meetings effectively. The sole advice given to us in the FSI lecture halls was to never promise more than you… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“when people thought the country was headed in the wrong direction, corruption was their second-biggest concern, after security.3” — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“Despite our cultural training, we remained ignorant of the cultural and political nuances that would affect our ability to run meetings effectively. The sole… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“One true measure of progress in Afghanistan is the relationship between the government and the people. The more the villagers support the government, the… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“In midsummer Cip Jungberg, the second USAID officer for the district, arrived. As Antoine Huss left, the district needed two officers to work there,… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“A failing district would cause the entire government to fail, he added, and so the government was on course to fail because the districts… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“the government worked, if it could be trusted, and what they really needed. As Antoine Huss moved out and was succeeded in August by… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“Taliban commanders have reported the movement derives direct support from Pakistan’s ISI, or Inter-Service Intelligence Directorate, the intelligence service. One study noted, “According to… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“In Afghanistan when a woman is widowed, she is generally taken in by her late husband’s family. His brother might marry her if she… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“The embassy bureaucrat responded that there was no problem with creating a system that did not work very well. He said the Afghan system… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“Only the district could be trusted to make spending a priority, but how could the district do that if it had no money? The… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“The bulk of development funding was spent by the international donors themselves, as USAID or the Canadians did when they spent millions of dollars… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“In each village Nazak said the same thing: don’t work with the Taliban; work with me and get projects. Supporting the Taliban will lead… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“Spend a small amount of money that gives big results in the village. Always respond to people’s needs.” — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“Though analysts differ on the details, they agree that the centuries-old jostling between the Zirak Durranis and their rivals, the Panjpai Durranis and the… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
“How to measure progress has never been satisfactorily answered. In counterinsurgency almost no simple metrics used in a vacuum, such as the number of… — Douglas Grindle Copy Share Image
