Alum speaks of experiences in military intelligence
Sarah Nagel
Issue date: 4/27/07 Section: News
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Melissa Maclin '98 grew up reading Tom Clancy and dreamed of serving her country as an intelligence officer. After graduating from Colby in 1998 with a double major in Government and International Studies, she went on to work in Navy intelligence and served in Kabul, Afghanistan from September 2006 to March 2007. Lieutenant Maclin came to the College last week to describe her experience serving in Afghanistan at a Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement event series "True Life: After Colby."
The title of her speech, "Afghanistan: the Forgotten War," emphasized Maclin's frustration over the lack of media coverage given to Afghanistan. "When I watch the news, all I see is Iraq and Anna Nicole Smith. It's upsetting to see the complete lack of attention given to the situation in Afghanistan," Maclin said.
Maclin's experience on the ground saw unparalleled coordination among insurgency groups and a dramatic increase in violence in Afghanistan. The surge in insurgency activity is a recent phenomenon. In 2005, there were 27 suicide attacks; the number jumped to 139 in 2006. Maclin predicted that the situation will continue to worsen in the coming years: "Insurgent cooperation, coordination and activity will be unprecedented by 2007 and 2008. The current U.S. presence in Afghanistan is unacceptable. The troops can't do what they need to do with the numbers we have out there."
The rise in violence is particularly alarming because it interferes with international efforts to promote economic progress and stability in the region, she said. "The Taliban want to destroy security so they can fill in the void and provide it," Maclin said. "We are seeing more and more attacks on the U.N. and on NGOs. The success of our mission depends on the presence of the U.N. The entire campaign will fall if they pull out."
The Taliban's goal is to take over southern Afghanistan by exploiting the weakness of the U.S. and by driving a wedge between the Afghan people and their government. "The insurgency is extremely capable," Maclin said. "They know they can never beat us kinetically, but they can cause great damage by targeting government officials at the district, provincial and national level."
The title of her speech, "Afghanistan: the Forgotten War," emphasized Maclin's frustration over the lack of media coverage given to Afghanistan. "When I watch the news, all I see is Iraq and Anna Nicole Smith. It's upsetting to see the complete lack of attention given to the situation in Afghanistan," Maclin said.
Maclin's experience on the ground saw unparalleled coordination among insurgency groups and a dramatic increase in violence in Afghanistan. The surge in insurgency activity is a recent phenomenon. In 2005, there were 27 suicide attacks; the number jumped to 139 in 2006. Maclin predicted that the situation will continue to worsen in the coming years: "Insurgent cooperation, coordination and activity will be unprecedented by 2007 and 2008. The current U.S. presence in Afghanistan is unacceptable. The troops can't do what they need to do with the numbers we have out there."
The rise in violence is particularly alarming because it interferes with international efforts to promote economic progress and stability in the region, she said. "The Taliban want to destroy security so they can fill in the void and provide it," Maclin said. "We are seeing more and more attacks on the U.N. and on NGOs. The success of our mission depends on the presence of the U.N. The entire campaign will fall if they pull out."
The Taliban's goal is to take over southern Afghanistan by exploiting the weakness of the U.S. and by driving a wedge between the Afghan people and their government. "The insurgency is extremely capable," Maclin said. "They know they can never beat us kinetically, but they can cause great damage by targeting government officials at the district, provincial and national level."
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