Michael Bhatia – ZERO ANTHROPOLOGY

Documents: Investigations into the U.S. Army’s Human Terrain System

In line with the publication of this report in USA Today, “Army plows ahead with troubled war-zone program” by Tom Vanden Brook, February 18, 2013, we are offering readers copies of many of the documents produced by investigations into the conduct of the U.S. Army’s Human Terrain System, with mirror links for each. There are a total of […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

A Digital Face Lift for the Human Terrain System

Almost as if they were determined to totally ruin all of my theses about the resources poured into military propaganda, the Human Terrain System has just launched another Web 1.0 site–except this one is better, because it has an image slider. Having reviewed all of the images, all I can say is that HTS apparently […]

by John Stanton

Human Terrain System Leadership: Worst Ever? John Stanton

Human Terrain System Leadership: Worst Ever? “They Don’t Give a Rat’s Ass Except for the Money” by John Stanton 29 March 2010 Thanks to the work of Howard Altman of Tampa Bay Online, we now know that US Army 1/LT Brian Brennan is alive and well and pursuing life’s challenges with vigor. Brennan was the […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

Mercenary Humanism

What an extraordinary piece of twisted thinking this ad represents — it belongs in genocide museums. This advertisement from mid-2007 was prominently featured in the opening pages of the Journal for International Peace Operations (JIPO), a journal of the International Peace Operations Association (IPOA) — “The Association of the Stability Operations Industry” — which is […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

Iraqi Insurgents Capture Human Terrain System Member: John Stanton

Iraqi Insurgents Capture Human Terrain Team Member: Issa T. Salomi by John Stanton Sunday, 07 February 2010 Steve Fondacaro and Montgomery Carlough, senior program management of the US Army’s Human Terrain System (HTS), were warned as early as 2007 that Human Terrain Team members in Iraq and Afghanistan would become prey for insurgent groups. They were […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

Anthropology on Stage, Human Terrain System on Screen

[A momentary “distraction” from my “zero series,” and a big thanks to John Stanton for the first set of news below.] Tonight, Friday, 30 October, a free play reading in North Hollywood will start at 8:30pm — the title of the production: ANTHROPOLOGY: Or How To Win Friends and Influence Afghans (see the circular). The […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

These Fine, Young, Humanitarian…Zombies

Yes, indeed, as predicted a movie is now out featuring the dead “cultural warrior,” the scholar in military uniform, the applied social scientist deep in the trenches of Afghanistan. He may be dead, but he’s back, and he’s coming right at you, over and over again in… No, that is not the movie (which does […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

Anthropology and the Military: Current Reports (updated)

Briefly, Part One of a series by Adam Geller, writing for the Associated Press, on the Human Terrain System was just published a few hours ago (07 March 2009) — see: “1 man’s odyssey from campus to combat.” Note the following contradictory statements regarding whether Michael Bhatia, the first scholar-victim, was to be put in […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

David Price interviews Roberto González on the Human Terrain System

The interview below was reproduced with the permission of Dr. David Price, from CounterPunch (03 February 2009). In connection with this post, see also: AMERICAN COUNTERINSURGENCY, by Roberto J. González (U. Chicago Press, 2009) Counterinsurgency, Anthropology and Disciplinary Complicity By DAVID PRICE During the spring and summer of 2007 word began circulating of a new military […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

John Stanton: Hamas’ IT Tops Human Terrain System IT in Internet Capability, Savvy (2.1)

Below, following my comments, you will find the latest article from John Stanton, the tenth in a series on the Human Terrain System, this time focusing on the information technology aspect of the Human Terrain System. Stanton noticed that while Hamas is able to almost immediately launch a memorial page for each of the fighters […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

Selectively Outraged, Half Humane, All American (1.7)

When the subject matter in more than just a few “isolated” incidents turns to using white phosphorous to burn civilians in their homes in Fallujah bombarding civilian populations in Iraq with cluster bombs delivered by artillery shells using shells coated with depleted uranium that then cause thousands of cancers and birth defects among civilians bombing […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

Curtains already? The Human Terrain System heads to a close in Iraq, but “revives” in other ways at home

One of the discussions that has not yet been raised regarding the current impasse between the U.S. and Iraqi regimes over the pending Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) is that, one way or another, the work of the Human Terrain System in Iraq may be heading to a very quick close. Should the SOFA remain […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

Pravda Publishes a Scathing Report on the Human Terrain System

US Army Human Terrain System in Disarray Millions of Dollars Wasted, Two Lives Sacrificed Pravda, July 23, 2008 by John Stanton According to sources, United States Army brigade commanders privately believe that the US Army’s TRADOC Human Terrain System (HTS) program is a “joke” and completely unnecessary. The HTS program is publicly supported by brigade […]

by Maximilian C. Forte

HTS Researcher Killed in Afghanistan

Despite my repeated criticisms of the Human Terrain Systems work that involves social scientists, anthropologists included, in counterinsurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, I am linking to this news merely for the record. Some of my criticisms were also posted in the AAA news blog. I neither wish to cheer this death, nor to indulge in […]