Money is ammunition; don't put it in the wrong hands: A view on COIN contracting from Regional Command South

摘要

During the course of the campaign in Afghanistan conducted by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), knowledge about the insurgency and its funding mechanisms improved continuously. Only recently the international community fully recognized the potentially damaging consequences of ISAF's multi-billion dollar contracting activities. In April 2010 NATO launched itsrn'Afghan First Policy', in June 2010 Regional Command South started to integrate contracting in its campaign planning and execution and in September 2010 general Petraeus issued his 'COIN Contracting Guidance'. All this brought contracting officers to the front line. The author explains the complexity of the problems and the present courses of action and reflects on the future of contracting in Afghanistan.