Originally Posted by
ForeverFO
What the author needed to emphasize was the pathetic lack of mission focus. Afghanistan should have been over in a year. Overwhelming force, destruction and ejection of the Taliban and Al Quaeda; then, get out. Let it be known to them - "See how easily we crushed your forces? Behave yourselves. Export violence again, and we will return to do it once more."
Instead, we build schools, clinics, conduct shuras with village elders and goat herders, and bleed a torrent of cash into a social construct that will not last.
You and I can agree on this!
I remember in Iraq listening to a man being interviewed who was saying that the bloodshed was caused by warring factions which had been at each other for centuries. Iraq "needed" a strong man like Hussein to keep them in line in there was going to be peace.
I thought to myself - why are we trying to bring Western style democracy to these people. That is not the type of gov't they want. They live under more of a tribal system than centralized gov't (think American Indians and the US thinking that talking to ONE chief of the Cheyenne would mean anything to the other tribes)
In any case - I couldn't care less if they wish to life under a dictatorship. That dictator just needs to know that he has to play by the world's rules if he is going to be part of the global community. One dictator goes off track (e.g. attacks a neighbor and destroys their land and people) then that dictator will be replaced with another person of their choosing. If the people don't want to live under a dictator then it is up to them to change their form of gov't.
Ultimately, the military enforces political decisions drafted by civilians in Washington. It does not do this on its own.
I thought this line from the article was telling in the thought of the author and goes in line with what you said above FO:
The armed forces must rethink their mission.
The armed forces don't need to rethink their missions; the leadership of the country needs to rethink their use of military force. The Armed Forces are *thinking* (and planning and executing) their missions just fine.