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Thursday, 17 August 2006
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Lebanon's Lessons Vindicate Rumsfeld
Contributed by George Mellinger
is essential reading for anyone who claims to have an opinion on modern war. Unfortunately, among those not heeding him are a number of US Generals including such luminaries as Generalissimo Weaselly Clark, Field Marshal Batiste, and the other members of the Gang of Six who wished to remove Rumsfeld. Remember, these were the military professionals who criticized Rumsfeld for invading Iraq with insufficient forces. They wanted to delay the invasion while we carefully built up a force they considered adequate to the purpose, and then advance slowly up the Euphrates consolidating at every step of the way, leaving no terrorist behind. Of course, the longer they waited, and the enemy prepared, the more troops they would need. this was the George McClellan approach. Instead General Franks plunged ahead in a campaign which substituted velocity for mass What we have just witnessed in Lebanon represents the critics' preferred McClellan alternative approach of wait for a mass build up, and a ponderous advance. That way opposition will have time to seize the initiative from you and forestall your offensive before you even have to start it. We’ve tried it both ways, and by now the answer should be clear. General McClellan was wrong in 1862. General McClellan was wrong again in 1962. He was wrong yet again in 2002. And the way things are going, in 2062 Hezbollah will prove that General McClellan is still wrong. In modern war, you have maybe a week to crush the enemy before the he begins to organize a resistance in the field, and in the global media. From that point the friction of war will grind you down and force you to a halt, any remaining objectives to remain unachieved. During this period, maximum destruction and death must be inflicted to crush the foe. However many or few enemy are killed, the blame in the global media will be the same. So inflict the greatest casualties possible on the enemy, and do not shield media representatives who choose to place themselves near enemy targets; if they are stupid enough to offer you an excuse, take it. And if victory is near, press on to a finish and damn the rhetoric. And yes, this applies to both Lebanon and to Iraq. And to Syria and Iran. And Korea. And Mexico and Venezuela if they deteriorate further. And to every as yet unforeseen military problem. The Russians have a proverb Победителей не судят -pobeditelei ne sudyat. – They don’t judge the victors. -Rurik |
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Contributed by George Mellinger on August 17, 2006 at 12:00 PM in , , , , , , , , | Comments Posted by: Amen to your last paragraph and quote. History is written by the victorious. As an aside, I once had an English professor, (Prof. McClellan) who claimed quite proudly to be a direct descendant of the good general. After reading of his disgrace and replacement by Lincoln, I have often wondered about the source of his pride? Posted by: | Aug 15, 2006 10:19:35 AM Posted by: Great post, Rurik. They don't judge the victors, hey? Reminds me of Andrei Vyshinksy at Nuremberg, pointing the finger of his right hand at Goering and Goebbels, while his left hand kept shoveling Russkis into the Gulag by the tens of thousands. Thanks for the Russian lesson. Note to Bill: As far as I'm concerned this one can stick up top there until when? Until Saddam faces a firing squad, maybe? Posted by: | Aug 15, 2006 6:58:01 PM Posted by: Jim Bartimus Spot on good analysis of military strategy and failed tactics Rurik. History seems to be one of those things that all to many fail to learn or just plain forget. I have the distinct feeling this will all be clear long before 2062. Posted by: Jim Bartimus | Aug 15, 2006 8:57:10 PM Posted by: 1st Cav Always helps to have a great historian onboard, lest we tend to repeat. Great work Rurick! Posted by: 1st Cav | Aug 16, 2006 12:20:18 AM Posted by: The McClellan comparison is so appropriate. Of course, a lot of folks on the left who read that would be scratching their heads and wondering, "Who's this McClellan dude?" Those who do not know history are condemned to repeat it. Same goes for all the people on the left, such as Kerry, who are stuck in Vietnam. The only valid comparison between that war and the War on Terror is that Iran and Syria are one big Ho Chi Minh Trail and we need to take the fight directly to the enemy. Great post. Posted by: | Aug 17, 2006 8:48:42 AM Posted by: Thanks. of course, this post was not intended for you guys - I was certain you already understood this. I intended this for our congress-critters, the good thinkers, and other well-meaning fools whose only brush with war has been a PBS program. Sadly I suspect not enough of them come here. Shane, with your background your assent is particularly gratifying. But there is a second way in which the current war resembles Viet Nam. Our government does nothing to contest the domestic enemy here at home and in the media, actively working to undermine the war. And this reminds us of Linclon, who suppressed a number of major Northern newspapers and jailed northern sympathizers of the Confederacy - including a sitting congressman, Clement Vallandigham of Ohio. In my bloody-minded opinion, we need to jail more than one of the bastards, and hang at least half a dozen. IMHO, had we done Kent State at Berkeley in 1965, instead of waiting till 1970 at Kent State, we might have won in Viet Nam by 1967. Posted by: | Aug 17, 2006 12:25:25 PM |