Security

We flew into a cloudy Kabul at 3pm and by 7 were in our first meeting held over Afghan food. We met a senior consultant who works with one of our partners on this project who is an internationally renowned agricultural economist, but as a septuagenarian, perhaps past his prime.

His first comment:

“I heard that DAI has a light approach to security”.

Not light – low-key.

He proceeds to describe a recent trip when he (an American) rode off into rural Afghanistan with his (much younger) Afghan wife in a convoy of vehicles. The first and last vehicles were pickup trucks bristling with machine guns. He and his wife are in the middle vehicle, which would be inconspicuous under normal circumstance, but he aptly pointed out that anyone watching would know this was clearly the vehicle to hit. But he still cherishes high profile security. He noted that in the village he was greeted like a king and the locals noted that he must be as important as Karzai as he has as much security as the Afghan president. Our senior consultant was delighted with this esteem boost and pointed out is convinced that this is an additional benefit are some benefits to high-profile security.

My company is sticking with our low-key policy to treat security seriously but arm ourselves with information, local knowledge, local networks, and a good reputation in the community – as well as weapons as and when needed.