Maxwell's Silver Hammer
"Case by case, we find that conformity is the easy way, and the path to privilege and prestige; dissidence carries personal costs."
--Noam Chomsky
--Noam Chomsky
I am not impressed by the replacement of Lieutenant General Casey by LTG Patraeus, but this is not by way of a personal attack or denigration of either soldier. I have no personal knowledge of these individuals, but I know them well.
All officers are selected, trained and rewarded for having an aggressive, can-do attitude. All service schools reward stereotypical thinking and institutional knowledge. All soldiers and leaders must be relied upon to serve as a replacement part upon another's death, injury or rotation. Replacement parts must mesh with the basic machinery. Metric parts are not interchangeable with U.S.-manufactured parts. "Pieces are pieces," as the chicken ad says, provided they're from the same breed of animal.
The institution requires conforming behavior and thought. Those that best reflect this value end up with 4 Stars on their collar. Rebels do not thrive in this environment.
Shifting personnel will not alter the strategic environment or the thinking that is relevant to the Iraq scenario. The conductors will be changed, but the band, the music, the baton and instruments will remain the same.
This change is unlikely to generate novel approaches to the current quagmire. But there could be a silver lining to this change of leadership in the State Department..
As the U.S. did in Vietnam with the appointment of General Maxwell Taylor as ambassador, it might be helpful to place a retired military man in a State Department post. Usually I'm opposed to the militarization of civilian functions, but such an appointment may be just the mediator-liason needed, as the disconnect is between State and Defense, not State and Iraq. If I had such authority, I'd appoint James Baker or Colin Powell as the next Ambassador to Iraq. As his Deputy, either retired General Zinni or Schwartzkopf.
This would put the State Department back into the equation, with the horsepower to resist the limited military option of increased violence. It would hold out some hope of a team resolution, as the parts would mesh, and dialog could ensue. State would become a player again. Necessary really, as a military solution is not on this sheet of music.
posted by rangeragainstwar at 1:22 AM
6 Comments:
Officers are taught specific successful solutions to discree tactical situations as a way of explaining the thought process that occurred at the time of combat. The purpose is to give the candidate officer a leg-up in creative thinking. Sadly these sandbox exercises become book solutions. The Red Army taught normative solutions to tactical challenges that were developed during the Great Patriotic War. X 122mm artillery rounds or Y 152mm rounds are required to prepare a company-sized objective in open ground, so don't even think of asking for more. I'm sure the same norms are taught today at Frunze, Malinovsky and Sevastopol, as well as at the basic schools.
To successfully administer the Iraqi occupation and reconstruction will require more than a Taylor, Powell, or Petraeus. Not even a Zinni could be successful under Republican rule because there is far too much free-market ideology involved. The Republican Party is founded upon a form of group-think that just doesn't do custodial care.
The DoD is far too powerful today for successful diplomacy to work. The world today is nails and all we have is a hammer. Solving the Middle East problem properly requires shims and lubricants, and that will have to wait until this current madness has burned itself out, and we might possibly have a sensible foreign policy once again.
From a purely military pov, Patraeus is interesting. What he did in the north was quite impressive, how he will cope with the 3-way/4-way fights in Baghdad will be interesting to watch. At least he might have the sole advantage of the US top command of being considered an honourable man, wich goes a surprisingly long way in sectarian situations. It all comes down to how violent Maliki intends to be the next month, I think. Mass-detentions & sedition/torture clearly doesnt work all that well. Hopefully he will have integrity enough to stop those tactics that came in with Negroponte..
Martin,
Well-said, and a Happy New Year to you.
Ref. my New Centurian article, pls. note that Patraeus has neither a Combat Infantry Badge nor any valor awards.
I'm aware of his achievements in the North, but one man does not a policy make. He's just a soldier, and the hopes that you place upon him should be placed upon the State Dept.
I agree on your assessment of Negroponte, but I believe he will be our next Secretary of State.
Glad you're still here, and for your continued advocacy on behalf of this site and the protest of this war,
Jim
Lurch,
And the Russians are not the only who use this technique. For example, FM 100-10-1 used to be the bible for staff operations. Everything is formulated and broken down, even to the point of requesting replacements before the fight. If it's a prepared attack vs. a prepare position, or a hasty attack vs. a prepared position, ad infinitum. To inc. the ASR (available supply rate of ammo.)
Of course, I am being optimistic. Your concept of shims and Marvel Mystery oil is probably more accurate per what's needed.
There is no creativity in combat as I see it. You manuever right, left or up the middle. Main attack, supporting attack; direct suppport or general support. Two up one back, or one up, two back. Or three up. Shoot, move and communicate. That's the history of the U.S. Infantry in a paragraph. Of course, ther are a few Hail Mary's, but them's the basics. After all, we have to keep it where infantrymen (and Pres. Bush) will understand it.
Now you can add your CGS diploma to your correspondence Ranger tab. It's only right.
Thanks, Ranger Jim for the CGS badge. I'll put it on the wall, next to the shadowbox with the neon frame. The lube is only for diplomacy. The creativity comes with the deception planning. You knew that. Hey, diddle-diddle. Make the other guy piddle.
Lurch,
Well well, I guess that makes me a diplomat. And of course this, as the goal of all infantry operations is to ultimately affect a penetration. With the neon, you won't need night vision goggles (day-glo would have achieved the same effect.)
Carry on,
Jim
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