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Confronting The Beautiful Mess of Adult Life

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Social science on terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan : The New Yorker

A profound, timely and cutting insight into how to wage productive counterinsurgency, in light of both the tools of social science and the limitations of overextending said "science" beyond it's immediately useful, small-scale context. In short, the author concludes rightly that counterinsurgency is never quick and dirty, but mostly long, bloody, and often by the seat of the pants.

Finally, a sober and refreshingly non-over-specialized approach to an object of critical importance in our times.

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2010/04/26/100426crbo_books_leman...