Army Officer Describes Multi-Faceted COIN Strategy

Many stateside armchair pundits are trying to explain the strategy that General Petraeus is following in Afghanistan.  Some get it right while others don't.  For those having trouble understanding what the COIN strategy is here is some help.  An Army officer has provided some clarification in "Petraeus is changing the Afghan war's intensity, not its overall strategy", The Best Defense Blog at Foreign Policy, October 20, 2010.  Explained in the article is how CT works as part of COIN, the Anaconda Strategy (with attendent slide), clear/hold/build operations, Afghan Local Police (ALP) initiative, training of host nation troops, reconciliation and reintegration, and the strategic communications plan.