Give me a minute to think!
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Originally Posted by
slapout9
I think part of the problem in understanding Boyd is he stays at the abstract level and dosen't give to many concrete examples.
Absolutely, I think he is abstract because he is teaching us a new way to think, however, “Patterns” is full of concrete examples (GOOD GAWD! Are you blind man!...j/k)…and, IMO, Boyd is telling us to go back and apply his method to those examples to see what he is seeing; and then go find your own examples; and apply them to current situations.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
slapout9
As an example I just saw on the news that a survey was conducted in A'stan that said over 90% of the population had no idea that we invaded A'stan because of their association with AQ and the 911 attacks. I think that is a moral failure on our part (US) for not making that clear to the population and that undermines our legitamcy in their eyes, we just seem like foriegn invaders.
Again, absolutely correct, and you are now looking at both sides of the equation (Cheng and Chi – commendable. BTW…this kind of thinking will never get you a job with a service publication). So! Mass media has resolved the issue here in the US. “The SOBs killed 3000+ citizens in a cowardly act.” How do we get that same message across to 90% of the population of a tribal, stone age, dirt floor country? But!... in a country that is full of tribal warriors and that knows and understands blood feuds… and, because it is a tribal muslin country, the people recognize that a primary communications channel is the tribal chief and the village Imam. Hmmmm? I know I am being presumptuous here but you wanted an example, and I gave you one without pilgrims or bibles. :wry:
The Montgomery C. Meigs Article
Here is a quote form the Montgomery C. Meigs article "Unorthodox Thoughts about Asymmetric Warfare" on how Political Will really collapses.
Quote:
The tumultuous politics of the 1930s left the French body politic torn between the forces of the right and left. The connivance of the 200 richest families, none willing to look past its psychological fatigue and warped self-interest to appreciate the good of the state, devastated political will
I had to read it twice because I thought he was talking about modern day America.