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-----Original Message----- From: Bass, Eric Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2001 10:04 AM To: Husser, Shanna; Hull, Bryan; Lenhart, Matthew; Blanchard, Timothy; Parks, Joe; Martin, Thomas A.; Schwieger, Jim; Winfree, O'Neal D.; Love, Phillip M.; Weldon, V. Charles Subject: FW: Civil Discourse Bulletin < THOUGHT YOU MIGHT ENJOY THIS ONE < < -----Original Message----- < From: Editor@civildiscourse.com [mailto:Editor@civildiscourse.com] < Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2001 6:49 AM < To: editor@civildiscourse.com < Subject: Civil Discourse Bulletin < < Recent posting in "Terror's Aftermath" in Public Affairs: < (The following essay, outlining how long the struggle against terrorism < might last, has been making the rounds on the Internet. Interestingly, it is < being forwarded by both hawks and doves. Perhaps the latter see this as a < wake-up call, while the former see it as an argument for a more overwhelming < response. This was written by Dr. Tony Kern, a retired Air force colonel and < an academic advisor at the USAF Academy.) < < 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 ole' 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 is 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, and 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 on 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 erode his < 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. < (Post your thoughts on this or any topic via this bulletin, or visit the < site at http://www.civildiscourse.com) < < THE DAILY GROANER RETURNS! -- 9/25/01 < China sent an envoy to tell the president the US needn't worry about any < documents lost in the Pentagon blast. The People's Republic has copies of < everything. < < < Please return this email to file a question or suggestion, change your < bulletin schedule, or cancel the bulletin. To go directly to the website, < click http://www.civildiscourse.com <
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