I received this from a friend. It is somewhat long but a great perspective!
S
Dear friends of the military - this came from one of
my former classmate networks. It seems timely and
appropriate and thus am sharing it with you during
this "new era".
President Bush laid it on the line last night. Let
us hope the country's response and diplomatic and
military approach get's us going again, in the right
direction. Regards
Source not authenticated but perhaps that's not vital
at this time.
This was written by an academic advisor at the Air
Force Academy.
From: Dr. Tony Kern, Lt Col, USAF (Ret)Recently, I was
asked to look at the recent events through the lens of
military history. I have joined the cast of thousands
who have written an "open letter to Americans."
Dear friends and fellow Americans
14 September, 2001
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.
Let me briefly explain. 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.
If we fail to do so, the outcome is equally certain.
God Bless America
Dr. Tony Kern, Lt Col, USAF (Ret)
Former Director of Military History,
USAF Military Academy |
