|
Doomed
to Repeat Failure: Big Time!
September 19, 2001
by
Tom Plachta
It is 1861. Lincoln meets with Winfield Scott, head of the
US military. Scott was the hero who won the Mexican War, but
now is old and obese (over 300 pounds). Neither condition
has affected his mind, however. He tells Lincoln of the Anaconda
Plan, to surround and choke the Confederacy. The US military
laughs, as this would run counter to US dogma - a small elite
army vs a credible enemy. A few years later, Grant and the
US win the war - essentially using the Anaconda Plan. How
does the US beat the Confederacy? A huge military with a large
industrial base supporting it.
That has been US military dogma since: overwhelming force,
a large "tail" (support personnel), overpowering the enemy.
This dogma was used in the Spanish American War, WWI and WW
II - successfully, against a conventional enemy. Post WWII,
the US military had a tie (Korea - a "limited war"), a loss
(Vietnam - where US military dogma failed against an unconventional,
hard to find enemy) and a win (the Gulf War, where US military
dogma succeeded against a conventional, easy to find enemy).
Also, post WWII, we engaged in several limited actions. Criticism
came when goals were not clearly outlined, and problems existed.
NOW, we are asked to fight a losing war!
1. The conventional US approach will not work vs Afghanistan.
See 1980s: Soviet Union. We support Taliban, under another
name, USSR loses conventional war.
2. We have no clearly defined goals. Stolen from democrats.com:
BUSH'S WAR IN HIS OWN WORDS
What are we fighting for?
9/15: An comprehensive assault on terrorism... a broad
and sustained campaign to secure our country and eradicate
the evil of terrorism
9/14: To rid the world of evil
9/13: To root out and to whip terrorism
9/11: We stand together to win the war against terrorism...
we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just
in our world.
Who are we fighting, and why did they attack us?
9/15: Opponents who believe they are invisible
9/13: The people who conducted these acts and those who
harbor them
9/13: These people can't stand freedom. They hate our
values. They hate what America stands for.
9/11: America was targeted for attack because we're the
brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world.
How will we fight and win?
9/15: Victory against terrorism will not take place in
a single battle but in a series of decisive actions against
terrorist organizations and those who harbor and support them.
9/14: It will end in a way and at an hour of our choosing.
Colin Powell states that after we whip Bin Laden, we are
going after Hezbollah and other named groups. If we adopt
this approach, we will radicalize the Muslim world against
us - terrorists win.
Example: Pakistan. They pledge to help, but their people
are not on board. I predict revolution there soon, against
the US.
When was anyone consulted about this new war, and its unending
nature? Bush decided to cover his own cowardice and stupidity
(examples: fear which led him to run for days from terrorist
attack and failure to lead the America people, AWOL from US
military, no reaction to report from bi-partisan committee
on terrorism, backing down because of bombing of US ship in
Persian Gulf) by becoming "great war leader."
We must engage in a debate on this. We are NOT able to eradicate
"evil" and must plan, not react.
Like all Americans, I agree we must attempt to solve the
terrorism problem. But Bush will only make it worse by radicalizing
Muslim states and killing lots of innocents in his attempts
to redeem his failed presidency by sounding the war tocsin.
Not to mention ending civil liberties in this country.
Let's not be intimidated. We need a debate on the best approach
to revenge, and limiting attacks in the future. Once again,
Bush's approach to major problems is simply wrong.
|
