Letter to all American Citizens

Like everyone else in this great country, I am reeling from last week's attack on our sovereignty. But unlike some, I am not reeling from surprise. As a career soldier and a student and teacher of military history, I have a different perspective and I think you should hear it. This war will be won or lost by the American citizens, not diplomats, politicians or soldiers.

In spite of what the media, and even our own government is telling us, this act was not committed by a group of mentally deranged fanatics. To dismiss them as such would be among the gravest of mistakes. This attack was committed by a ferocious, intelligent and dedicated adversary. Don't take this the wrong way. I don't admire these men and I deplore their tactics, but I respect their capabilities. The many parallels that have been made with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor are apropos. Not only because it was a brilliant sneak attack against a complacent America, but also because we may well be pulling our new adversaries out of caves 30 years after we think this war is over, just like my father's generation had to do with the formidable Japanese in the years following WW II.

These men hate the United States with all of their being, and we must not underestimate the power of their moral commitment. Napoleon, perhaps the world's greatest combination of soldier and statesman, stated the moral is to the physical as three is to one. Patton thought the Frenchman underestimated its importance and said moral conviction was five times more important in battle than physical strength. Our enemies are willing - better said anxious -- to give their lives for their cause. How committed are we America? And for how long?

In addition to demonstrating great moral conviction, the recent attack demonstrated a mastery of some of the basic fundamentals of warfare taught to most military officers worldwide, namely simplicity, security and surprise. When I first heard rumors that some of these men may have been trained at our own Air War College, it made perfect sense to me. This was not a random act of violence, and we can expect the same sort of military competence to be displayed in the battle to come. This war will escalate, with a good portion of it happening right here in the good ol' U.S. of A.

These men will not go easily into the night. They do not fear us. We must not fear them.

In spite of our overwhelming conventional strength as the world's only superpower (a truly silly term), we are the underdog in this fight. As you listen to the carefully scripted rhetoric designed to prepare us for the march for war, please realize that America is not equipped or seriously trained for the battle ahead. To be certain, our soldiers are much better than the enemy, and we have some excellent counter-terrorist organizations but they are mostly trained for hostage rescues, airfield seizures, or the occasional body snatch, (which may come in handy). We will be fighting a war of annihilation, because if their early efforts are any indication, our enemy is ready and willing to die to the last man.

Eradicating the enemy will be costly and time consuming. They have already deployed their forces in as many as 20 countries, and are likely living the lives of everyday citizens. Simply put, our soldiers will be tasked with a search and destroy mission on multiple foreign landscapes, and the public must be patient and supportive until the strategy and tactics can be worked out.

For the most part, our military is still in the process of redefining itself and presided over by men and women who grew up with - and were promoted because they excelled in - Cold War doctrine, strategy and tactics. This will not be linear warfare, there will be no clear centers of gravity to strike with high technology weapons. Our vast technological edge will certainly be helpful, but it will not be decisive. Perhaps the perfect metaphor for the coming battle was introduced by the terrorists themselves aboard the hijacked aircraft -- this will be a knife fight, and it will be won or lost by the ingenuity and will of citizens and soldiers, not by software or smart bombs. We must also be patient with our military leaders.

Unlike Americans who are eager to put this messy time behind us, our adversaries have time on their side, and they will use it. They plan to fight a battle of attrition, hoping to drag the battle out until the American public loses its will to fight. This might be difficult to believe in this euphoric time of flag waving and patriotism, but it is generally acknowledged that America lacks the stomach for a long fight. We need only look as far back as Vietnam, when North Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap (also a military history teacher) defeated the United States of America without ever winning a major tactical battle. American soldiers who marched to war cheered on by flag waving Americans in 1965 were reviled and spat upon less than three years later when they returned. Although we hope that Usama Bin Laden is no Giap, he is certain to understand and employ the concept. We can expect not only large doses of pain like the recent attacks, but also less audacious sand in the gears tactics, ranging from livestock infestations to attacks at water supplies and power distribution facilities. These attacks are designed to hit us in our comfort zone forcing the average American to pay more and play less and eventually eroding our resolve. But it can only work if we let it.

It is clear to me that the will of the American citizenry - you and I - is the center of gravity the enemy has targeted. It will be the fulcrum upon which victory or defeat will turn. He believes us to be soft, impatient, and self-centered. He may be right, but if so, we must change. The Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz, (the most often quoted and least read military theorist in history), says that there is a remarkable trinity of war that is composed of the (1) will of the people, (2) the political leadership of the government, and (3) the chance and probability that plays out on the field of battle, in that order. Every American citizen was in the crosshairs of last Tuesday's attack, not just those that were unfortunate enough to be in the World Trade Center or Pentagon. The will of the American people will decide this war. If we are to win, it will be because we have what it takes to persevere through a few more hits, learn from our mistakes, improvise, and adapt. If we can do that, we will eventually prevail.

Everyone I've talked to In the past few days has shared a common frustration, saying in one form or another, "I just wish I could do something!" You are already doing it. Just keep faith in America, and continue to support your President and military, and the outcome is certain.

Dr.Tony Kern, Lt Col, USAF (Ret)
Former Director of Military History, USAF Academy

Good thoughts except for the omission of the sovereingty of God. The best war plan is knowledge of Deuteronomy 28 and application of the whole of scripture. Humanism is failing us and America returns to its vomit--more humanism. While we kill Osama will die-a let's also repent and return to the Lord.

Well Doc, I am just a simple country boy, and I won't even try to debate you, as you are well educated. I have heard of people who are educated well beyond their intelligence.
I remember a few things from my World War Two history. One that sticks out in my mind was General Eisenhower. What made him great in my mind was the fact he listened to everybody. Let me say that again he listened to everybody. I am sure you are thinking that meant he even listened to his Captains. No, he even listened to the privates, the grunts, the ones out there in the trenches. He asked them what they needed. He asked them for ideas. He used the good ideas. This WAR will be won because we will ALL participate. We will have good ideas, and we will use the good ones.
We will make some mistakes, maybe many mistakes, but we will strive on.
We got hit in the gut, below the belt if you will. This is different. That fact won't be forgoten easily.
Maybe I ought to teach at the WAR college.
All I have to offer is good ole common sense.
Something that has been missing in this country for a long time.
I think we gots us a good wake up Call.
I think my brave brothers and sisters and I will answer this call and I think a lot of you at the WAR COLLEGE will be very surprised.
We Americans do our very best work when we are Mad. Just ask the British.

All I have to offer is good ole common sense.

Ah, yes. That which tells us the world is flat.

The "Doc" is correct right down to the bone.
Nothing is left out and nothing need be added.
There is a reason you do not teach at the War College. :)

Thank you. The good Doctor's cliche/received wisdom filled letter, while not bad overall, tells me nothing I haven't heard this past week and even before that. Your post # 5 does. Yes, common sense is in short supply these days. We can hope War College has some of it.

"These men hate the United States with all of their being, and we must not underestimate the power of their moral commitment. Napoleon, perhaps the world's greatest combination of soldier and statesman, stated the moral is to the physical as three is to one. Patton thought the Frenchman underestimated its importance and said moral conviction was five times more important in battle than physical strength. Our enemies are willing - better said anxious -- to give their lives for their cause. How committed are we America? And for how long?"

I particularly liked this passage. Moral conviction is what is being bred out of American students.

Good post. Thanks. I just have one little point to nitpick about. He wrote:

He believes us to be soft, impatient, and self-centered.

A properly "self-centered" person will not be "soft and impatient" in this battle. This post provides the evidence for that. A properly selfish person, one who loves the freedom and prosperity in this country, will heed this warning well, and be ready to fight at home to the extent that he can (both to preserve his own life, and to save his country).

BUMP!

I have hope that this "end of our way of life" is only temporary -- but I agree that it may be a long time before we can return to "normalcy" and the battle to get there will have to be won on many fronts -- intellectual, militarily, and by the vigilance and will of all citizens at home.

Two things gave me hope today: (1) that Bush is defining his success as President in terms of how he deals with this crisis -- it is his sole focus; (2) that the Administration has not yet decided the whole course of this War, which means they are still open to influence. Don't give up hope, Westerner!

Excellent post, and thank you!

We will be fighting a war of annihilation, because if their early efforts are any indication, our enemy is ready and willing to die to the last man.

And this is the point that everyone seems to ignore. The terrorists are like fish that hide amongst the other fish in a great ocean. To get the terrorist apart from the others that conceal his (her?) presence is well nigh impossible. Not only will American innocents be killed, we Americans must steel ourselves to killing their innocents. Of course, that's a dirty little issue that nice people don't wish to discuss...

While the comparison to Viet Nam makes sense as far as the guerilla nature of the enemy goes, there is a vital difference. The North Viet Namese were unwilling or unable to attack Americans on our own soil. Further, Viet Nam had no defining moment, nothing that would lead to a slogan that could have steeled our resolve. The War Against Mexico had "Remember The Alamo!" The Spanish American War had "Remember The Maine!" In WWI the sinking of the Lusitania gave us the will to assist England and France, and Pearl Harbor was clearly the impetus for our entry into WWII. Korea, like Viet Nam, had no such defining moment for Americans, and the result was likewise far from ideal. From what I have seen in the last 11 days, particularly at Ground Zero, but, more basically, in our everyday lives of supermarket shopping, restaurant eating, highway driving, and baseball playing, the Spirit of America is back. There is a genuine concern for our fellow citizens, and one not likely to fade very quickly. The exhibition hockey game, with the NY Rangers visiting the Philadelphia Flyers, is, to me, a watershed event. I doubt whether a sporting event in the late 60's would have been terminated so that the fans could listen to LBJ or Nixon talk about how we were going to fight the North Viet Namese.

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