Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Win Smith who wrote (21949)	3/22/2002 3:53:58 PM
From: JohnM	Respond to of 281500

I just read the Kelly and Fallows pieces in the April Atlantic, and they can be seen online. I just finished reading them this afternoon, Win. I agree on the Fallows piece. I thought it one of his more interesting, though it took him some time to get to his point. The Kelly piece seemed to me all preparatory work. Not very interesting.

To: Win Smith who wrote (21949)	3/22/2002 3:57:12 PM
From: tekboy	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Someone who's seen the defense policy package that will appear in the May/June issue of FA tells me it looks something like this... Rumsfeld argues that the Afghan campaign demonstrated both the extent to which the US armed forces have been changing and the need to continue those changes. Some interesting stuff, but not as forthright as his reputation suggests in addressing the problems he's had trying to generate reforms. Eliot Cohen contributes a wonderful essay analyzing the new truism that Rumsfeld has been a bad secretary of defense but a good secretary of war. He basically argues that the reason lies less in Rumsfeld personally than in the fact that the first job--SecDef--is much tougher, because of all the forces that resist change. Michael O'Hanlon offers a workmanlike recap of the Afghan campaign, confirming the general picture you get from, say, close reading of the NYTimes or the Washington Post. He argues that transformation is critical and that more needs to be done. Steven Biddle, finally, analyzes the Kosovo campaign in retrospect, and finds that we still actually don't know all that much about the most important questions--such as why Milosevic caved, what kinds of air power can do what, and so forth. Apparently no one of the pieces covers everything, but together they provide a good, serious take on important subjects, from people (unlike most journalists) who actually know what they're talking about... tb@we'llsee.com

To: Win Smith who wrote (21949)	3/22/2002 9:49:20 PM
From: unclewest	Respond to of 281500

now that the Taliban is not a state, we cannot fight it. He was also highly skeptical that the spotter-bomber combination that worked so well in Afghanistan would make much difference anywhere else. i disagree with both Lind and Wilson. maybe their time in the USMC gave them tunnel vision and all they conceive of is frontal attacks and assaults. since WWII, our armed forces have wide, broad and extensive experience with both sides of highly mobile guerrilla warfare, including terrorist operations, behind the lines sneak attacks, harassing and interdiction operations. you know the classic sneaky, tricky and dirty stuff. perhaps they missed the spotter-bomber successes in our last more conventional conflict in kuwait. this old combat soldier is genuinely impressed by the skill at adapting to a wide variety of combat situations being demonstrated by our forces. we spent many years preparing for a tank war across the northern plains of europe...the training scenarios usually began with soviet tank divisions pouring through the fulda gap. those days are now long gone and we have adapted well... we are going to have problems...serious problems and soon...but they are logistical not tactical. our very best fighting units are hurting. training was neglected for 8 loooooong years. we lost too many key leaders at the fighting level. troop strength in our best units is too low. the 82nd Airborne Division was always kept at around 105-106% strength. this was to allow the division to maintain full fighting strength after initial casualties. the 82nd is around 92% strength today. same for Special Forces, we have kept them at full or higher strength in the past. presently, our Special Forces are around 85% strength and terribly overdeployed and overworked...over 40% of our current SF troopers are eligible for retirement. they are currently prohibited from retiring or taking normal discharges at the end of their term of service...but that cannot be kept that way forever. as General Stiner (former Commanding General 82nd Airborne Division and former CINC Special Operations Command) told me a few weeks ago, we can throw money at our bullet factories and restock combat unit supply room shelves but we cannot fully train our current forces and bring them up to full strength overnight...it took 8 years to get beaten down and it will take years to recover. i spent the past 2 days at Ft Bragg...and was struck by several impressions. i spoke with 2 Green Beret Captains in language school, the final phase of training before taking command of "A" teams. they are smart, fit and highly motivated. they are also up-to-date on current affairs and thoroughly understand and accept the difficulties ahead...thank God we have such men. i had breakfast yesterday with a special group of old friends at the NCO club. 4 of these guys are retired career Green Beret Command Sergeants Major now over 70 years old. all 4 are still working as DOD civilians training new SF soldiers. they are afraid to quit because the need for experienced and fully qualified instructors cannot be filled due to low unit strengths. thank God we have them too. in the current war, we are not using hellacious frontal assault tactics as taught at Parris Island. we are using every technological advantage. we are conserving our forces to every extent possible every day and every night. our forces are adapting to a constantly changing enemy, weather and terrain environment. we are having remarkable, brilliant successes in the field. clearly our military is winning their portion of this conflict...but the politicians have a helluva lot more work to do. i expect this war to get a lot worse before it gets better. the continent of africa is full of afghanistans. the radical muslim contingent has spread their tentacles throughout SE asia, western europe, and elsewhere including America. i am convinced that our military will continue to perform brilliantly to the last man. i only hope and pray that the politicians can resolve this conflict without expending our entire fighting force. unclewest