He is executing that model in Iraq. Note the use of Marines in an expanded role. Note the use of Special Ops units that set up target intelligence and laser guidance for stealth aircraft and pinpoint accurate bombs and missiles. Note the navy as a delivery vehicle for warplanes AND long range missiles.
Rumsfeld bloodied a lot of noses. He immediately placed an Air Force officer in the Chairman's seat, and the Marine Commandant in the Vice Chairman's role. He let Shikensi (everybody an Army Ranger in these berets) know that he was out.
The Army empire has LOTS of pull, wants LOTS of new heavy armour, weaponry and air assets to fight that tank and artillery battle against the Red Army on the steppes of the Ukraine. Oops, that's not gonna happen anymore. But, it's lots of jobs for the folks back home, so the gutless Congress has kept the lotto spitting out jackpots.
Rumsfeld found a guy, in Tommy Franks, who embraced the vision of a defense capability heavy in Special Operations personnel, wide-coverage Naval attack capability, a more accurate and ground strike oriented Air Force, a long range Marine Corps that becomes far more than just an amphibious first strike force. More intelligence on the ground. More defensive anti-missle technologies. That's his vision for the 21st century threat.
Rumsfeld wants a military that is fast, versatile, easily deployed, highly intelligent and less mechanized. We are facing a widely dispersed geographically, rapid response threat from third world countries and terrorist cells who use guerilla tactics exploiting difficult urban and severe terrain for advantage. He immediately cancelled the Bradley boondoggle (I think that was it), he's trying to halt the Osprey and F-22 boondoggles, and the BUREAUCRATS and GENERALS aren't one bit happy. If this campaign succeeds absent the heavy Army hammer, EVERY campaign going forward can succeed in the same manner. The Army fiefdom is scared stiff, and they are trying to bad talk this assault model.
It's going to be about Special Forces, Marines with long reach capability, a Navy with a higher deployment of Destroyers and Cruisers packing long range missile pop, mobile attack helicopters and aircraft. Clinton's DOD was information starved, boondoggle project flush and personnel inefficient and top heavy.
What good is an M-1 in Baghdad? One CIA operative or Delta Force soldier with a laser can do more efficient damage painting B-2, F-117 or Tomahawk targets than 10 Abrams tanks on the streets of Damascus, the villages of China, the islands of the Indonesian archipelligo or in the mountains of Columbia.
Do you mean that wheeled combat vehicle that was supposed to be part of the 96-hour deployable brigades?
Good post, btw.
I think you mean the Crusader artillery system, not the Bradley, which is our infantry fighting vehicle.
I agreed with your synopsis to this point.
B2 bombs and cruise missiles have little effect against hit and run guerrillas.
That's why we will probbaly take Baghdad fairly soon only to be plagued by months of cleanup, nightly civilian body bags on ABC/CNN, and a looming PR battle for W.
BUMP