I am not saying I don't understand Perrin, I am simply saying I don't like or respect his character. I was taught from an early age good leadership means the willingness to sacrifice personal interest for others.  Bad leadership is simply obtaining enough power and strength to fulfill ones own personal interest. Being a leader entails a responsibility for those you lead.

Perrin is a bad leader.  He puts others in danger to pursue a limited personal interest (rescuing Faile). He is willing to sacrifice his personal morality (chopping of a prisoners arms), sacrifice hundreds of soldiers, and ally himself with the Seachean (who he believes to be akin to the Dark One) to accomplish this.  I can understand why he does this - but understanding it make me dislike him.

Given his personality traits he is a liability. Most bad people aren't evil, they simply are willing to do horrible things to others to achieve their own limited interest whatever the cost to others.  Perrin is a bad person. This could make for an interesting storyline, but still I find it hard to like him. 

I'll tell you why I hate it:

(1) I continue to be amazed how BAD his leadership is.  Here he is on the eve of tarmon Gai'don and he is just running around for 4 books when the world is at stake trying to rescue his wife.  He is willing to sacrifice his followers and anyone around him just to rescue her.

(2) there seems to be no reason for his followers to go along with this.  He keeps on saying things like - "only rescuing Faile matters" and everyone just nods in agreement.  No one sits him down and goes - hey look this is absolutely ridiculous.  Someone needs to smack him. If I am one of the soldiers in his camp (expecially not from the Two Rivers) there is absolutely no reason to think this guy is a good leader or deserves to lead, but they all for some reason everyone keep falling in line and going along,

(3) His lines with "he would make a pact with the Dark One to rescue Faile."  I mean really? you want me to root for this guy?

The only things you can do to save his character are: (1) have Faile actually be captured by darkfriends and have them use her as bait to try to get him to turn or (2) have a lot more development of the wolf part of his persona.  Otherwise he is boring as hell.