U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Michael Flynn's attempt to refocus the U.S. intelligence apparatus away from what he calls a preoccupation with the enemy in Afghanistan has produced a torrent of e-mails, blog postings and internal discussion about the merits of his approach. What his directive did not do when it was issued as a report from a Washington think tank was win a warm embrace at the Pentagon. There were no immediate commitments of resources beyond the surge of intelligence equipment and analytical firepower already on its way to Afghanistan. Outside Washington, Flynn, the top U.S. and NATO intelligence official in Afghanistan, has supporters in the NATO leadership, Great Britain and the U.S. military. One American officer said Flynn would need support from Washington policymakers for his idea of immersing decision makers in the details of life in Afghanistan -- from tribal allegiances to the status of infrastructure projects. That strategy could be the secret to turning the tide against the insurgency, but it would require "buy in" by multiple agencies, the officer said.
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