Commentary

Some of you may find the following article of interest. I would submit that a good read on a comparable tactical/moral battle dilemma was captured in the following text:

The tunnels of Cu Chi / Tom Mangold, John Penycate.

> >
> >Here is an interesting piece from Dr. Tony Kern, Lt Col, USAF (Ret)
> >Former Director of Military History, USAF Academy
> >
> >Dear friends and fellow Americans 14 September, 2001
> >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

> >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

> >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

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 ol' 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

For the most part, our military is still in the process of redefining

> >itself and 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, 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 at 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 eroding our 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.

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