Iraq War Fighting Strategy

I want to focus here on the war in Iraq and the application of standard American military strategy to the fighting in Iraq. I want to do this based on the lessons learned from the Vietnam War. It seems to me the mistakes we are making in Iraq are similar to the mistakes we made in Vietnam as described in Col. Harry Summer's book On Strategy.

Here is a list of the military principles from Field Manual 100-1, The Army.

Objective
Offensive
Mass
Economy of Force
Manuver
Unity of Command
Security
Surprise
Simplicity

In subsequent posts I intend to cover one or more topics until I get to the end of the list. Since the Objective is the foundation for all the rest of the topics that will be covered in a post of its own.

I present this list as a kind of warm up so you can get oriented to what is coming next.

Cross Posted at Power and Control and at Classical Values

Strategy , Grand Strategy, and Tactics

While I was away (moving) the last week and a half, I have not been idle. I have been reading On Strategyby Colonel of Infantry Harry G. Summers, Jr. and Strategyby B. H. L. Hart. Two classics in the field of military strategy. Col. Summers' book deals with the Vietnam War and Basil Hart's book deals with a historical look at strategy with a major focus on WW1 and WW2.

What I want to do is to discuss the issues involved in relationship to the War in Iraq and our long war with militant Islam.

I get notification of comments at Classical Values and at Power and Control. So if you want to be assured that I see your comment and have an opportunity to reply please post at those blogs.

This discussion will be ongong (at least for a while) and will consist of a number of posts on the topic. The place to start is to get copies of the books and read them or at least use them to follow along with the discussion.

Cross Posted at Power and Control and at Classical Values

ROSIE CRACKS THE BRITISH SAILOR HOSTAGE CONSPIRACY

Caught this on Hot Air. Rosie O'Donnell, the new high priestess of all things moonbat, was talking about the British sailors being held hostage by Iran this morning on The View. Rosie wouldn't go into detail, except to offer this little nugget: “I have one thing to say: Gulf of Tonkin. Google it."

For those unfamiliar, the Gulf of Tonkin was a pair of naval attacks on two American destroyers by the Viet Cong in August of 1964. Many today believe that these attacks were either exaggerated or, at worst, completely made up a la Hitler's claim of being attacked by Poland. Nevertheless, it was this incident that allowed LBJ to escalate the war, and we all know how well that worked out for him.

So, Rosie is implying that the UK (and I'm sure George W., he's responsible for everything) purposely provoked the Iranians into this conflict in order to have just cause for going to war with Iran.

As much as I hate to say it, I almost wish Rosie was right. If there were such a conspiracy afoot, that would tell me that the USA and UK were at least planning to strike Iran (something that should have been done 2-3 years ago!) instead of hitching their wagons to the U.N. and the "diplomatic process."

TRIBAL STRATEGY: STILL WORKING

BBC:

Pakistan rebel clash 'kills 100'

At least 100 people have been killed in three days of clashes between local and foreign militants in Pakistan, Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao has said.

Mr Sherpao told the BBC that dozens more had been wounded in heavy fighting near Wana in the South Waziristan tribal area close to the Afghan border.

Officials say that most of those killed since Monday were Uzbek fighters with suspected al-Qaeda links.

THE TRIBES IN NORTHWESTERN PAKISTAN ARE KILLING AL QAEDA - JUST AS THE SUNNI TRIBES ARE IN ANBAR/IRAQ. WHEN MUSHARRAF SIGNED THE TRIBAL ACCORDS, WE AT T.A.B. WERE ALONE IN CORRECTLY ANALYZING THIS STRATEGY CORRECTLY, WHILE OTHERS WHINED.

It Is Not Just About The Next Move

We know the anti-Iraq War types hate genocide.

If one starts when we leave will we be willing to go back to stop it?

How about a general Mid East war starts. What then?

How likely are these possibilities and what should our contingent plans be?

It is not just about the next move.

The Democrats are selling that if we get out of Iraq all will be well. Maybe. What if Iran gives free passage to our enemies from Iraq so they can fight us in Afghanistan? Afghanistan is better terrain for guerilla warfare.

Then what?

We need to do a reckoning of probable costs as well as the likely profits. So far the Democrats have been running a great con. Keep your mind on the immediate profit and ignore the ballon payment that will be required later. Which is exactly what got us into WW2. Do we really have to repeat history?

Cross Posted at Power and Control