Knowing the terrain, both physical and social

Paul at Soft Power Beacon writes about situational awareness in Iraq:

…That said, Behn writes, some Iraqis will get their hair cut like famous Iraqi singers or Brazilian soccer players. None of this appears in any textbook on the Middle East; it’s just one more facet of Iraqi society that U.S. forces and policymakers must have people on the ground–outside the Green Zone–to understand.That said, Behn writes, some Iraqis will get their hair cut like famous Iraqi singers or Brazilian soccer players. None of this appears in any textbook on the Middle East; it’s just one more facet of Iraqi society that U.S. forces and policymakers must have people on the ground–outside the Green Zone–to understand.

Understanding how society ticks is critical to creating a secure environment. Cops working in gang territory know this, just as our military forces, acting like police forces, must become aware of this. This is situational awareness