Posted on 10/20/2004 7:23:44 AM PDT by crushelits
"I was stationed at a base (Al Taqqadum) South-West of Fallujah that we took over from the 82nd Airborne. Your writing about the Abu Graib prompted me write this. It is an explanation of why so many in the military favor Bush, even though we are the ones suffering the most because of his mistakes:
It is an old military maxim that blunders can be forgiven, but a lack of boldness cannot. There will always be blunders. The simple becomes difficult in war. Take for example the following question: what is 2+2 equal too? An easy question right? Now imagine I gave you 15 such questions and you had 2 seconds to answer them. Most likely you would answer some and leave the rest. Looking at those questions you missed in isolation I might say, "What kind of blathering idiot are you? You can't even answer simple questions like 2+2=4". That is why Armchair Generals are so annoying. They look at one thing in isolation with all the time in the world to think about it and say confidently "the answers obvious". But when you are out in the fight everything looks different. Nothing is ever seen in isolation. You never have enough time. You never know more than 1/10 what you need to know. There will always be blunders.
But the job has to get done anyway. And to get this kind of job done boldness is essential. A leader who never blunders, but who doesn't take the fight to the enemy is worthless. A leader who sets about to win - win ugly if needs be - is priceless.
One thing the Marine Corps taught me is that a 70% solution acted on immediately and violently is better than a perfect solution acted on later. My experience has proven this true time and again. The sad fact is however, that a 70% solution is a 30% mistake. And those mistakes can be hard to take. In WWII for example, 700 soldiers drowned in a training accident in preparation for D-Day (that is about how many combat deaths we've experienced so far in Iraq).
There is a scene in the movie "We were Soldiers" that says it better than I can. In the scene a young soldier on the ground is giving directions on enemy positions to aircraft flying overhead. The aircraft then dropped Napalm on the enemy. At one point the soldier gets the directions wrong and stares horrified as the Napalm is dropped on his own unit. The soldier is shaken beyond belief. He sat there doing nothing - paralyzed by his mistake. Then his Commanding Officer gave him the confidence to carry on. The CO told him to "forget about that last one" and "you're keeping us alive here". And so the soldier swallowed his guilt and kept doing his job and thereby saved the unit. That is what a 70% solution looks like in real life. And those are the 70% solutions that win wars.
Most people and events are beyond your control. Most questions you don't have time to answer. Most facts you will never know. But you have to press the attack anyway. No matter how ugly it gets, you keep going until you win.
Kerry doesn't understand that. Everything he did during the Cold War and everything he says about this one states as much. He represents those who would never blunder, but who would not take the fight to the enemy. He would just sit there - like the soldier in the movie - paralyzed by America's mistakes."
Being an arm chair General is easy. Just like being a monday morning quarterback.
ping
Sorry.
WOW! - Thanks for the post.
Something the Armchair Generals would do well to remember.
I wonder how many people realize what an brilliant achievement this war is. We still have under 1,200 casualties for the war + keeping the peace. Iraq's forces were ready to fight, but we outmaneuvered them at every turn.
The Threatening Storm, considered the definitive book giving the case for the war, said that we could expect from 300 to 10,000 casualties in the war. Lefty commentators were talking about thousands to millions of people dead.
Now, obviously we regret that one person died, let alone 1,200-odd, but at least they died for a mission we're fulfulling. Kerry doesn't understand that soldiers are willing to make the sacrifice of their lives as long as they believe in the mission and as long as we have the will to complete it. Well, they do and Bush does, and that pretty much seals up their vote.
I am horrified by how badly Kerry gets this wrong.
D
Add Idea: "Why we fight"
- Camera cuts in to sailor loading bombs on F-18 on an Aircraft Carrier. She says "We fight to defend Liberty and Freedom...
- Camera cuts in to Airforce piolt in F-15. He says "We take the fight to the terrorists so our families are safer at home."
- Camera cuts in to armed soldier escorting voters in Afghanistan. He says "We fight to protect those that can't protect themselves." Pans out to children going to school in Iraq.
- Camera cuts in to Marine in the field. We know why we fight.
- Narrarator - Our soldiers fight to protect all of us, they fight to defend Liberty and Freedom, they fight to protect the very rights of those that would criticize them in battle and for those that would call what they do a mistake. Support our Troops.
later read....
ill be bored in class tonnight, i guess i can load up premiere on the laptop and see what i can do.
Excellent read.
I have just one complaint: The gentleman writing this is a Marine, NOT a soldier, as was referenced in the title. Semantics to some, but most in the military would agree on the terminology.
Otherwise, it is a great read! :)
Great letter but I sure can't find it on Andrew Sullivan's site...link?
It's the letter of the day for the 19th. Just scroll down, almost halfway.
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