afghan security programs have received less attention, but that's what kabul-based correspondent jean mckenzie focused in recent reports on the international website globalpost. her reporting took her to several provinces beyond the capital. jean is in the u.s. now and joins us from boston. jean, welcome. you looked at a couple of these sorts of programs set up in particular since the obama surge began. these exist outside the formal afghan police and army structure. what was the thinking behind it? why do this? >> well, the thinking behind it was to increase the numbers of security forces as quickly as possible. and to try to get some handle on a situation that is deteriorating quite rapidly. they wanted to use the disaffection of that many communities feel towards the taliban, focus that and direct it in a form that has a chance of counteracting the insurgency. >> warner: let's look at the first one you looked at which was one in a province fairly close to kabul. the road between the two early last year was a no-go zone. marines went in there and also set up a local militia. how did it opera