text: Support to Host Nation Security Forces
  EXAMPLES
  8-5. Common cultural challenges include the following:
  • Nepotism, such as, rank or positions based on who you know.
  • Denial of negative results or errors in the interest of saving face.
  • Corruption, such as unofficial or under the table entitlements.
  • Influence from competing loyalties (ethnic, religious, tribal and political allegiances).
  CATEGORIES
  8-6. These challenges fall under one of four broad categories of resources, leadership, abusing power
  organizational structures.
  Resources
  8-7. Governments must properly balance national resources to meet the people’s expectations. Funding
  for services, education, and health care can limit resources available for security forces. HN spending
  priorities may result in a security force capable of protecting only the capital and key government facilities,
  leaving the rest of the country unsecured. HN security forces will typically not have the same resources,
  equipment, money, or salaries as US units. US units may not have the means to partially sustain the HN
  security forces to maximize their effectiveness. Conducting effective COIN operations requires allocating
  resources to ensure integration of efforts to develop all aspects of the security force.
  Leadership
  8-8. Counterinsurgents may need to influence the existing HN approach to leadership. HN leaders may
  be appointed and promoted based on family ties or membership in a party or faction, rather than on
  demonstrated competence or performance. Leaders may not seek to develop their subordinates or feel the
  need to ensure the welfare of subordinates. In some cases, leaders enforce the subordinates’ obedience by
  fear and use their leadership position to exploit them. Positions of power can lead to corruption, which can
  also be affected by local culture. Ethical climate and decision making in the HN security force leadership
  is often reflected in the HN security force organization’s treatment of detainees. This is a proven barometer
  of the commander’s ability to guide his unit and provide lasting security for the HN population.
  8-9. US Forces tasked to develop HN security forces should take special interest in how the Host
  Nation appoints, promotes, and develops leaders. The best way US advisors and partner units can influence
  leaders is to provide positive leadership examples.
  Abuse of Power
  8-10. The behavior of HN security force personnel is often a primary cause of public dissatisfaction.
  Corrupting influences of power must be guarded against. Cultural and ethnic differences within a
  population may lead to significant discrimination within the security forces and by security forces against
  minority groups. In more ideological struggles, discrimination may be against members of other political
  parties, whether in a minority cultural group or not. Security forces that abuse civilians do not win the
  populace’s trust and confidence; they may even be a contributing factor of the insurgency. US partners
  and advisors must identify and address biases, as well as improper or corrupt practices.
  8-11. Abuse of power, such as hoarding property, extortion, or reprisal attacks on a specific group,
  could be a root cause that lead to the insurgency or could worsen the insurgency. Units need to understand
  issues in the OE and define the problem before attempting to “fix” problems. A current example is how various
  groups may have a long cyclical history of conflict with other population groups. Ethnic, historical, political,
  racial, religious, social, and territorial turmoil may contribute to cycles of violence in the Host Nation so
  intractable that it will take establishing discipline, a code of honor, patriotic nationalism, and a merit based
  promotion system inherent in a professional military to break this societal norm. Even then, these efforts may
  not be sufficient to stop the abuse of power.