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| Ralph Peters:Relearning War |
| 2004-10-20 |
| AS the presidential election approaches, the cynical charges of "failure" in Iraq obscure a fundamental truth: The conflict has improved our military dramatically. War teaches. And we're very good learners. We already had the best-trained, best-equipped armed forces in the world. Now we have the most experienced troops, as well. With enduringly high morale. Operation Iraqi Freedom and the subsequent occupation swept away a pile of dangerous nonsense. We found — again — that airpower alone cannot win wars and that the infantryman remains as indispensable in the 21st century as he was in the bronze age. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #8 I like that Ralph pointed out that our combat units have ALL had significant action. The entire US Army and Marines are basically combat vets. A look at the past 100 years of our military, you will see that almost every unit was skittish in their opening engagements. That is no longer the case. Can you imagine having the 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions on the Iraq-Syria (or Iran-Iraq) border? How much CRACK there would be in that whip? 50,000 of the best-trained, best-equipped AND most experienced troops lookin' at the border in an obvious way? They'd be quakin' in their f*cking boots. Singing the Jihidi Lament (JDAM version). This is a new strategic and tactical benefit we have from opening this new front on the Islamofascists. A military that can absolutely obliterate any enemy imaginable. Just let you know where you are............ |
| Posted by: Brett_the_Quarkian 2004-10-20 10:00:31 PM |
| #7 Re "Shock and Awe" Ralph Peters is an excellent analyst who is strongly biased in favor of infantry. He believes Air Force claims of being able to defeat armies w/out ground troops are ridiculous and he sometimes goes overboard. If I remember correctly,"Shock and Awe" was going to be a 3 day intense aerial bombardment before the troops went in.It never took place because info on Saddam's whereabouts caused the whole plan to be changed as a strike on Saddams supposed location prematurely started the war. All of which showed the quality of Gen. Franks-he lost his Northern attack at last minute,his air plan was thrown in toilet,and his ground assualt had to start days before he planned.How much or little he actually had to do w/planning,he controlled his battle and didn't let anyone panic. |
| Posted by: Stephen 2004-10-20 9:20:33 PM |
| #6 Shure and wasn't it himself, Murphy the grunt |
| Posted by: tipper 2004-10-20 8:48:29 PM |
| #5 I'm thinking it was Chester Puller or Roy Geiger but I'm not sure. Well, JCH Lee was a supply guy, so maybe it was him. |
| Posted by: Flipper 2004-10-20 7:28:57 PM |
| #4 "Shock-and-awe" fizzled embarrassingly, I don't know about you all, but to me "shock and awe" was created in me by the incredible speed with which we made it across the country to Baghdad. Was any of the aerial bombardments ever called out by CENTCOM as "shock-and-awe"? I probably missed it, if it was announced. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2004-10-20 4:34:02 PM |
| #3 JCH Lee? |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2004-10-20 4:24:04 PM |
| #2 Who was it that said that "If you're short of everything except for the enemy, you know you're at war." |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-10-20 4:11:22 PM |
| #1 War is not the domain of perfection. Never was, never will be. Should be tattoed on the forehead of every politician in the US. |
| Posted by: Dreadnought 2004-10-20 3:23:42 PM |