The Price of War...
 

Everywhere we hear “Let’s get ‘em”

This is much easier to say than it will be to do. While most will find some sort of relief with initial launch of Tomahawk cruise missiles or the deployment of B52’s from Diego Garcia, I sit here and wonder what will be happening three years from now (not overlooking three weeks from now).

War is much easier to start than it is to end.

I’ve studied war for the past 25 years…it is my favorite pastime outside of marketing itself. While I don’t claim to be an expert I’ve read and studied thousands of campaigns and battles. I “know” Robert E. Lee, George S. Patton and Ulysses S. Grant.

This one is going to be different…very different.

In this war we won’t be comparing the attributes of the M1A1 to that of the T72.

In some respects the cold war was easier, we knew the USSR would be coming hot and heavy through Fulda Gap. We could track the movements of their divisions. We knew who the respective leaders were. We knew the way they fought.

This time we know darn little. More like Vietnam than the Gulf War. That being said, I hear quite often the biggest complaint of Vietnam was that we didn’t do everything we needed to in order to win. Mr. Lincoln said something similar of Gen. George McClellan, he had the tools but he neglected to use them. Our leaders can’t make the same mistake.

If we do, this thing could drag out for a long, long time. And during that time, as more Americans are killed both here and abroad, the public will lose interest, just as it has in many of our conflicts that seem to be stagnant. It happened during Vietnam and it happened during the Civil War. Americans have never skirted war…we just do not have patience for conflicts that drag-on without hope for resolution.

This is going to take incredible fortitude to pull off because it isn’t just your buddy in the next foxhole that’s at risk; it’s our wives, parents and kids that are in the cross-hairs. Sort of changes your perspective a little doesn’t it?

On July 2nd, 1863 the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry regiment was ordered forward to attack a mass of men that had many times their own number. The men of the 1st Minnesota knew the task would result in their own annihilation. It did. But they did it anyway. Today we have the same burden but the risk is our family, friends and neighbors. If we don’t we could lose those people…If we do we could lose those people. I like you, support the latter, if for nothing else we have to secure the country for future generations like our forefathers did for us.

But what we can’t do is lose focus if this thing drags on for more than a month. The Gulf War made conflict seem easy and painless (at least from our own point of view). Some of what we’ve experienced this week is due to the other side seeing how painful the Gulf War was for them. We’ve had success in the past putting our divisions up against theirs…this conflict will be more like putting our civilians up against theirs and hoping they cry “Uncle” first.

Re: The Price of War...
 

Michael - good analysis - I hope we do have the fortitude to "stay the course" in this age of instant gratification. I personally think we will, as it's everyone's welfare at stake.

Bob

A Lesson from Greek Mythology
 

Michael -

Good post!

I can't help but think of Hercules and his battle with the Hydra - chop off one head and two grow to take its place.

The more you do it the stronger the enemy becomes - wipe out one cell and two grow to take its place. Two more-mean than the one you got rid of.

Go for the heart?

The body cannot be penetrated. And besides, it means ignoring those nasty heads (cells).

The only way is to kill the whole.

Depending on which version of the myth you read, Herc chopped off a head and had an assistant burn the stump - or - he got down on his knees, picked the Hydra up and held it aloft in the light of wisdom until it eventually stopped fighting and died, at which point its immortal head appeared, was cut off and its power then available to be used by Herc.

Both versions of the Myth have Herc win. One is a bloody battle that needed outside help. The other was far less bloody but required a prolonged effort (holding aloft until dead).

Of course, another way to kill the whole of something is via "starvation".

I'm sure our leaders are going over all possible avenues with this. The last thing they would want, in my opinion, is to create a martyr.

Yes it's hard to fight someone on the grounds of belief. Even harder when you throw in the element of fighting for their home land.

Overall, it's quite a problem. But at least knowing what the problem is gives you something to work with.

Michael Ross.