Canadian to help U.S. detect errors terrorists make

Canadian professor Laure Paquette specializes in trying to figure out how the underdog thinks, with her research examining the types of strategies that those who face overwhelming odds tend to use.

Now the Ontario academic will be taking that expertise and applying it to special forces and the war on terror.

Ms. Paquette, a political scientist at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay has been asked to conduct research for U.S. special forces in the hopes some of her findings can give American commandos an edge in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq.[emph added]

Interesting idea. I wonder whether we could hire her to work with elected Democratic politicians?

"We're going to be looking at the thinking, the characteristics of the thinking and the kind of mistakes that terrorists have made," said Ms. Paquette. "Can we use this as a framework to understand and predict what they're going to do and be more effective in fighting them? Can the people fighting the terrorists themselves improve their practices, planning and carrying out special operations?"

Ms. Paquette will be working in the New Year with the Joint Special Operations University in Florida, the organization responsible for educating U.S. special forces personnel.

U.S. Lt.-Col. Michael McMahon, head of the university's strategic studies department, said he believes Ms. Paquette's research could prove valuable in fighting terrorists.

"The people that are competing with the existing order -- the violent extremists -- have an existing strategy and their strategy is one of relative weakness to the United States," he said. "And that's what's driving our interest in the doctor's research."

So, if I understand this properly, we’re winning. We’re beating the pants off terrorism – except in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and (maybe) Indonesia. And yet, our military leaders, who keep insisting the game is almost over, now want to try to understand the terrorist.

Don’t build permanent bases in the Middle East, don’t station troops in other people’s countries, and don’t practice economic and cultural imperialism there.

Can I now be paid half of what you’re planning to pay Ms Paquette?

A tip of the too-small Kevlar helmet to The Agonist.