"Can America really beat the Taliban using a textbook? We take a look at the practice behind the theory, as Charlie Company attempt to follow the instructions laid out in the Counterinsurgency Field Manual.

Seen as "a modern military textbook for winning hearts and minds and outwitting the enemy" the book also known as the COIN Manual, was written by some of America's finest military minds. So can the Americans really win by the book? The Manual states: "Counterinsurgents often achieve the most meaningful success in garnering public support...with activities that do not include killing insurgents". Yet for all the activities that exclude killing, this is a war. The American troops are at their best when under attack and the other side of war is reveling in the death of your enemies. "It's like the Superbowl; or like Manchester United and Chelsea, we're cheering for our team," claims one soldier laughing and celebrating with his comrades as Taliban are killed. The Manual also states: "Executing COIN operations is complex, demanding and tedious. There are no quick solutions." Few know this better than the soldiers who have been here for over a year and those forced to chop down trees with axes after their chainsaws fail to work. "It's almost like all of this stuff that we're doing is worthless." America expects its soldiers to be nation builders as well as warriors but are they simply asking too much?" journeymanpictures

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RELATED:

COIN, Counterinsurgency Manual 2006

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documentary, The Taliban Declassified, Part 1

documentary, The Taliban Declassified, Part 2

Taliban Burning

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Karzai's War, Part 2

Taliban Trafficking

Taliban Terror

Taliban interviewed by BBC's David Loyn, 2006, Part 1

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Origins of the Taliban