We are writing to clarify and correct a number of points in the February 2009 Men’s Journal article The New War for Hearts and Minds by Robert Pelton.
In our opinion, Mr. Pelton’s behavior in Afghanistan as a guest of the US Army was unprofessional. First, he published the fact that a member of the Human Terrain team was a former, non-covert analyst employed by the CIA. He was told this information “off the record” and agreed verbally not to publish it.
Second, Mr. Pelton interfered with LT Jones’ work in the field. While LT Jones was trying to conduct interviews, Mr. Pelton interjected himself into the conversations and questioned the villagers about the Taliban, which is the domain of trained intelligence collectors not visiting journalists.
Third, he brought a bottle of whiskey with him to Forward Operating Base Morales-Frazier and offered some to the team’s interpreter, which is a violation of US Army general orders.
Mr. Pelton exhibited a gross disrespect to those serving in Afghanistan. Rather than referring to the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) leader by name or rank, Mr. Pelton identified him by what was printed on a t-shirt worn while off duty.
Mr. Pelton made the Pennsylvania National Guard PRT Security Force (SECFOR) look foolish based on the comments of one soldier.
Before becoming PRT SECFOR, this platoon was the only maneuver force in the Nijrab District of Kapisa and was engaged in almost constant combat operations for six months. Forty percent of the platoon received the Purple Heart. One member received the Silver Star for saving the life of an Afghan Soldier in Afghanya Valley. This unit deserves better treatment in Mr. Pelton’s article for their service in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Mr. Pelton grossly distorted the backgrounds of the personnel on the Task Force Warrior Human Terrain Team (HTT). He neglected to inform his readers that Team Leader LTC Rotzoll served two previous tours in Afghanistan as a Civil Affairs officer, served on two different Provincial Reconstruction Teams, and has over twenty-seven years of service in the US Army. Mr. Pelton also misrepresented the HTT Social Scientist as an expert on Laotian DNA. On the contrary, this Social Scientist has been conducting research in Afghanistan for over twenty years. He made several trips into Afghanistan with the Mujahedeen during the 1980s to report on the Soviet occupation, and also served as the director of an Afghan Relief Committee.
Despite Mr. Pelton’s apparent confusion of HTTs with Tactical HUMINT Teams (THT), THTs are not related to HTTs in form, function, or mission. Mr. Pelton’s assertion that “the information Jones and his team collect … is all part of a massive database,” that can be used to perform lethal targeting is a fabrication. Deployed HTTs work solely on the non-kinetic side of the military planning and are not involved in the lethal targeting process.
Mr. Pelton appears to have been more interested in journalistic sensationalism than the work the HTT was actually doing in the field. While embedded with the brigade combat team, Mr. Pelton did not engage senior leadership on the benefits of the HTS program or the benefits an HTT brought to their command.
Very Respectfully,
Dr. Steve Fondacaro
Project Manager
U.S. Army Human Terrain System
Dr. Montgomery McFate
Senior Social Scientist
U.S. Army Human Terrain System
Robert Young Pelton’s response to the U.S. Army:
Although it’s always appropriate to communicate your opinion on an article, I have to say that attacking the messenger and not the message might be unproductive. As you know, I invested significant effort and patience in not only getting your direct input and following your directives but I had high hopes for a different experience. I wholeheartedly embrace the concept of human terrain teams and continue to follow developments.
Ultimately I believe any outsider exposed to what I saw would have come away with the same disconcerting sense of dysfunction, isolation and frustration but for the record that was not my goal when I first chose to focus on the human terrain program. My goal was to see the program at its best, not its worst. I don’t lay blame, I just state facts.
If I may, let me respond to specific comments within your letter.
- CIA tie: I was told about Lt. Col. Rotzell’s CIA background by someone other than Col. Rotzell who did not ask that it be “off the record.”
- Interference: When Jones was working I stood well back and discussed his conversations with him later. When he was just chatting with Afghans, I also chatted with Afghans. The fundamental problem seemed to be Jones’s inability to get relevant face time with Afghans so I respected his brief time with his subjects.
- Whiskey: Yes, I had a fifth. You may not be aware that there are a number of bars on the base. Gulam is Muslim, so there was no reason to offer him alcohol.
- Disrespect to military personnel.The Lt Col you are referring to was wearing his FUBAR shirt whenever I saw him. He is never “on” or “off” duty in a remote PRT. One reason I withheld his name was to spare him broader embarrassment. As for the overzealous soldier, he conducted his little pantomime in full view of two clearly credentialed journos and the press officer for the French military. His actions aside, I think my portrait of the National Guard does give them the credit they deserve.
- HTT experience: Rotzell (and Jones) are portrayed as they are: Hard working, underpaid, frustrated but professional soldiers. The social scientist told me about his expertise on Laotian DNA when I asked him about Afghanistan.
- HTT/THT. It was not my confusion but rather the LT Col’s. I know the difference. The database comment comes directly from Steve’s discussion on all HTT information being available to all aspects of the Brigade Commander’s units, including Direct Action, and my direct knowledge of intelligence gathering. My point is that the Afghans don’t see the difference.
I wrote what I saw, carefully wrote down what your people told me, documented what happened. What resulted was a comedy of errors, well-intentioned people unable to function, frustrated by constantly fighting the system.
Since you have the most to gain and the most to lose, I put it back to you: Why not admit that what bothered you about this article was the conduct and problems in the system? I would think that your energy is best spent on fixing the problems, not critiquing someone who points them out.
peace, out.
RYP
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February 20th, 2009 at 8:19 am
ryp, I’ll call you what you are, a lying hack. Only a cowardly pissant considers any refutation of their claims attacking the messenger.
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February 20th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Mr. Pelton’s pattern of misbehavior and misrepresentations are key reasons I hesitate to call myself a journalist when I am in Iraq and around US personnel. I’d rather consider myself a consultant charging heavily for my willingness to travel to dangerous places than a ghoul who feeds off of carrion like Mr. Pelton.
At least nobody is going to accuse Mr. Pelton of being biased in favor of the US Military. It is a pity he won’t let himself be biased in favor of fact or ethical behavior.
There are a lot of writers out there who can cover this story for Men’s Journal who can do the job professionally and well. Lose Mr. Pelton from your rolodex and get somebody serious like Michael Yon, Michael Totten, or Bill Roggio to cover military matters in the field for you. It is much less expensive to hire quality reporting than to buy a disgrace like the one Mr. Pelton tied to your masthead.
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February 20th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I;m not surprised that Men’s Journal – a publication aimed at spolied, effete poseurs – would publish garbage written by a clown.
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February 20th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Afghanistan is rapidly going down the toilet. For years we were not told the truth about the worsening outlook there.
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February 22nd, 2009 at 2:03 pm
I work with HTTs in Iraq and while they write lovely papers, I find RYP assessment to be accurate. They tell us nothing that a PL or CC who has been on the ground for a few weeks doesn’t already know. If the senior leadership would just listen to their subordinates instead of wasting yet more money on silly programs, we would all be better off.
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February 24th, 2009 at 6:06 am
Folks,
I am a currently serving Special Forces Captain and formerly a Sergeant First Class in Special Forces and been in since 1982. I also have served in many conflicts as a Contractor since the early 90′s. I’ve had dealings with RYP in the past as a result of my work in Africa and Colombia. In addition, I too spend alot of time on the edges of acceptable social norms as a Bad Boy for Uncle Sam, I get to be a good guy.
I say all that to say that RYP is what he says he is, a wildman with an extreme point of view. His reports should be viewed as such, another perspective, maybe not right, but always good to view problems from as many angles as possible. It would be a mistake to take his reporting as “professional” journalism, but it is a form and should be taken with a grain of salt.
That said, I have to flat call him out on some points.
1) Never bad mouth the folks who have served, risked and died- if you haven’t!
2) An LTC sure know one heckuva lot more than he ever will about THT and HHT!
3) NEVER compromise Operators or Operations- that’s a crime!
And for all you younger troops and RYP, there is a method to the madness.
This is a GLOBAL War and just because it might not make sense to you when you’re down in the weeds on the ground, there is a big satellite picture where all these pieces fit together… give your command and government some credit. They ain’t perfect either, but they ain’t stupid. There is a plan… we all need info and we learn and we grow.
The bottom line, our cause is a good one and in time, we will prevail as we are just, we are the good guys and we are all on the same team!
Remember that, keep the faith, play well together and fight the enemy!
Saludos!
Myke Hawke sends
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February 24th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Human Terrain System Update
For LTG Kimmons By Bob Reuss & Dan Bourgoine, 31 Jul 07.
I tried to post this info but it did not take.
If anyone wants a copy of the game-plan briefing above, send an email to cioran123@yahoo.com. Note that LTG Kimmons is this http://www.dami.army.pentagon.mil/. Reach your own conclusions about whether the HTS is an intel program or not. Kimmons is the one who said “let’s kick it out there and see what happens.”
Here is latest comment, yesterday, from Fondacaro to HTS Members
“HTS Teammates,
In the interest of giving you all the good news, all at the same
time, I am forced to ask you all for one more day of patience and
forbearance as we chase the last action through to approval at
Department of the Army level. Issues we are after are higher pay caps
(which are already resolved), danger pay and compensatory time. The
responsibility to get the right answers to you is mine alone. In that
same vein, that we are late doing so is my fault alone too. We are
breaking a lot of glass along the way, but its glass that’s long overdue
to be broken. The next time we answer it will be complete and it will
be right. Grant us one more pass on your already generous and patient
forbearance. In the interim, please throw any and all rocks at me.
Sincerely
Steve Fondacaro
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February 25th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Human Terrain System Update
For LTG Kimmons By Bob Reuss & Dan Bourgoine, 31 Jul 07.
http://www.indymedia.org/media/2009/02//921401.ppt
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March 1st, 2009 at 10:06 am
Check this out—-
In re: Death Threat Tarnishes Human Terrain System. At open anthropology (max), inteldaily.com, pravda.ru and cryptome.org
Better check out this site below bubba’s:
http://www.ops-alaska.com/humanterrain
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March 1st, 2009 at 7:32 pm
This is what I was waiting for all along the way. USMC always does it right and thanks to the US Army for placing the piece. Now that the miles have gone, I can sleep…My last effort on this. Bye to all!
http://usacac.army.mil/CAC2/MilitaryReview/
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March 9th, 2009 at 9:38 am
One would think a magazine with the resources of MJ could knock out more than one or two issues in a row, without someone calling out the hack freelancers they hire to write their stories. I’ve lost count of the number of letters to the editor I’ve read in just the past three years, that call into question the very basis of many of their stories.
I suppose we can expect to see some big expose on A-Rod’s sterroid use in the coming months, while MJ not only gives a free pass to admitted sterroid user, Mickey Rourke, but elevates him to rock star status.
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March 11th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Wow, I find the amount of insecurity and hostility directed here at Pelton boarding on the incredible..
As a former military type I found his article to be informative, and accurate. And the general conduct and professionalism of those he wrote about reassuring.
In no way did I find his commentary disrespectful to anybody. Simply direct and to the point. The fact is war and deployments are not tea parties, nor do they typically bring out the best in men. That’s a given.
I think what we have here is the typical right wing knee jerk reaction to the media that pervades much of our military, especially in the aftermath of the Bush era.
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June 21st, 2009 at 7:36 pm
I’ve known Robert Young Pelton for over a decade, and for those blow-hards that obviously don’t know this, he is the author of World’s Most Dangerous Places and also the producer of Discovery TV “Come Back Alive.” He goes where no other journalist (aka Hotel Warrior) dares to go. For years he was a regular at the annual international open source intelligence conference for mid-career intelligence officer who do NOT have their heads up their ass. This is the kind of guy that can get kidnapped in the Darien Gap (that’s between Panama and Colombia for you less than worldly armchair warriors), and when presented to the leader of the local gang, is recognized, greeted with respect, asked for an interview, and then escorted back to wherever he wants to go.
The Human Terrain Team (HTT) concept is a good one badly managed. I have an article coming out, approved by DoD, waiting for CIA to pee all over it, that recommends that HTT be transferred to DIA/DH where ALL HUMINT, overt to covert, should be. The HTT personnel selections, team deployments, and over all management is about as ugly and unprofessional as I have ever seen in 30 years of government service beginning in the Marine Corps infantry, going on through the clandestine service, and ending as the senior civilian responsible for creating the Marine Corps Intelligence Center (today a Command).
Pelton is 100 per cent on the money, and the Army response was crafted and approved by light-weights who have not actually connected to reality–In My Humble Opinion (IMHO).
Semper Fidelis
Robert Steele, Maj USMCR (Sep)
CIA KR-594
CEO, OSS.Net, Inc.
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June 28th, 2009 at 6:50 am
Why are the same bunch of fools who ran the JIEDDO effort now being allowed to infest the Human Terrain environment?
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December 11th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Fantastic, I did not know about this topic until now. Thankz!
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February 12th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
I suspect, that Mr. Pelton suffers from the identical situation every enterprise does at one time or another… they believe their own press.
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August 25th, 2011 at 9:59 am
Who was the original builder of the MF at Nijrab and what year?
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abe khamosh Reply:
August 25th, 2011 at 10:02 am
Was the French who built the base MF in Nijrab or the US special forces and in what year?
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