Posted on 01/15/2009 8:48:14 AM PST by indcons
If you know your enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
This famous maxim by the ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu is familiar to every student of military science and strategy. His counsel is simple: understand your enemy, understand yourself. Nearly eight years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, however, important segments of our military infrastructure dedicated to training and educating the next generation of military leaders have woefully failed to heed Sun Tzu’s advice. Two recent blog posts by Washington Post military correspondent Tom Ricks related to policies and publications by the U.S. Army War College give evidence to this strategic collapse in the War on Terror.
Two weeks ago, Ricks reported on a new publication by Army War College research professor Sherifa Zuhur on Hamas and Israel that informs readers that Hamas has been misunderstood due to the misreporting by “Israeli and Western sources that villainize the group.” Zuhur concludes that Hamas isn’t so bad after all, so we all just need to get along and embrace the terrorist group through negotiations — a view apparently endorsed by the Army War College when it published her defense of Hamas.
A second post last week, “Fiasco at the Army War College: The Sequel,” records an exchange between Ricks and defense expert and author Mark Perry. Assessing the academic state of affairs at the War College, Perry informed Ricks:
It’s worse than you think. They have curtailed the curriculum so that their students are not exposed to radical Islam. Akin to denying students access to Marx during the Cold War.
(Excerpt) Read more at pajamasmedia.com ...
Obama has begun his sweep of the institutions.
Check this out!!
New weapon designs will focus on making a purse more lethal when it is swung. Bitch slaps will be taught to special forces.
In 1939, the world’s military “experts” gave the upstart Wehrmacht no chance against the much better trained and equipped French Army. Little did they realize the French command and control system was hopeless against the flexible onslaught of Blitzkrieg warfare.
When democrats get into power, it matters not who we have serving in the armed forces. They get castrated and shackled. Come time of war, our armed forces will be as inept as the French in May, 1940.
The Generals sold out to the oil money of Arabia. Those companies dealing with rich Muslim states are where many retired officers go to collect fat paychecks after service.
Amazing.
Apparently, the Army War College is just another institution of learning were Liberals and Leftists are allowed to voice their opinions. It’s part of the battle of ideas where any view is permitted to be expressed.
Very sad
They have curtailed the curriculum so that their students are not exposed to radical Islam. Akin to denying students access to Marx during the Cold War. ........................... The Students here are not 20 year olds. They are LTC’s and above. They have their own minds, they know what to do whether in the curriculum or not.
“He shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against everyone...”
Gen 16:11
They also put forward a plan last fall where US troops were to be used to quell any civil unrest resulting from a possible run on the banks. We are still very much at risk for that to happen today.
I feel terrible for all the innocent lives that will be sacrificed in our next “wake up call” — the one that will get our military back on track on this war on terrorism.
We have fallen asleep at the switch once again.
The especially scary thing for me is that I work in NYC — a prime target.
>I feel terrible for all the innocent lives that will be sacrificed in our next “wake up call” — the one that will get our military back on track on this war on terrorism.
I hear you there. One of the things that is a detriment, I think, is the lack of corporal punishment in the forces. Instead of punishing the person for their crime, swiftly, suddenly, and completely... we instead drag the punishments out over long periods of time (such as a demotion, which, granted are not entirely unmerited) and fines/docked pay.
One of Sun Tzu’s advices, IIRC, is that rewards should be given “as swiftly and harshly as punishments”. Here again, we have discrepancy, years of good work can be undone by a lapse of judgment as in the case of a demotion, or even unrecognized... as in the case of perfectly promotable people being passed over for merely political reasons.
You're right about that. America falls asleep at the switch from time to time. However; the time period in which we fell asleep again was expedited with the help of the RAT's in Congress and their partners in the media by constantly bashing our efforts in the WOT and down playing the threats to the country.
I am in NYC at least once a week myself for work - I know what you mean. I never let my guard down and am constantly aware of my surroundings.
Actually, I was thinking about the civilians who are usually the targets of their initial strikes.
Because, of course, terrorists are too weak — or too afraid — to attack our military directly.
>Actually, I was thinking about the civilians who are usually the targets of their initial strikes.
>
>Because, of course, terrorists are too weak — or too afraid — to attack our military directly.
I can understand that... but I’ve seen a lot of politics in my time in service, and I think that it is much to the detriment of our fighting-forces.
In fact, the losses of Viet Nam can be attributed to politicians who wouldn’t allow our military to win.
I wonder what the percentages would be today?
I wonder how many of them understand “unlawful order”.
Does anyone still think that our government really understands the enemy?
Thanks.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.