American army declares war on Microsoft PowerPoint

General Stanley McChrystal, the leader of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan doesn't understand the 'Afghanistan Stability/COIN Dynamics – Security' Powerpoint slide whilst most senior commanders say PowerPoint discourages decision-making.

The US military is fighting a new foe. It is an enemy renowned for boring its opponents into submission in a hail of bullet points. The War on Terror is a walk in the park compared to this. The American army has declared war on Microsoft PowerPoint. This is the most notorious of them all, the catchily-named Afghanistan Stability/COIN Dynamics – Security. Or the ‘bowl of spaghetti’ to very senior military men. When it was shown last summer to Gen Stanley McChrystal, the leader of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, he said: ‘When we understand that slide, we’ll have won the war.’ Now the army is hitting back. Earlier this month, Gen James Mattis of the Marine Corps, was more direct: ‘PowerPoint makes us stupid,’ he said. And When asked last year how he spent most of his time, Lt Sam Nuxoll, a platoon leader in Iraq, said: ‘Making PowerPoint slides.’ Now many commanders are saying PowerPoint discourages decision-making, discussion and keeps junior officers, called PowerPoint Rangers, occupied preparing slides. But the death of Powerpoint looks a little way off. Capt Crispin Burke, of Fort Drum in New York, said: ‘There’s a lot of PowerPoint backlash but I don’t see it going away soon.

The infamous Afghanistan Stability/COIN Dynamics Powerpoint slide. Can you decipher it? Photo © Pentagon.  

http://www.metro.co.uk/home/823839-american-army-declares-war-on-microsoft-powerpoint

‘When we understand that slide, we’ll have won the war.’

Damn! it will be not soon...

......my will to live is slipping away the more I look at it....

The London Underground map suddenly seems like child's' play!!

Nice choice of colours at least.

it takes a toll on people like me...

where are the bloody Brits in this thing ... we must have talked them into some meager effort they can handle?

I feel a Peace coming over me now!

that map is really difficult for me to read

"Death by PowerPoint" - a running gag (with bitter, real background) in Afghanistan already in 2008 - has reached a new stage!

Iain you like games, puzzles and mindless bater...

take a crack at your powerpoint for the "state of TF "

---> even for your mind a couple of days I bet ...hahhaa