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Bill, you elsewhere mentioned the idea that SOF should be reinvented every 20 years. I agreed in principle but noted I'd been saying ten years for a long time -- and I've lately come to believe that...

It's the American way.Of course it make little sense, if any. Politicians are truly an interesting species. Why they send people off on ill advised forays is beyond me...

As for why the Troops...

I'm pretty well convinced. I was fortunate in having had two really great Battalion Commanders in Viet Nam. I know the first would not have and I strongly doubt the second would have made it to LTC...

more bureaucratic opponent a "run around" for much longer than said opponent wished.

That was then and is now the case. Only when confronted with really incompetent enemies did the US Army 'win'...

However, I can tell you that you will not ever get "inside the head of such men." All those people named as well as Nathan Bedford Forrest and a few others -- including some RSA types -- and my pet,...

to an extent but most certainly in the US, that very prevalent syndrome gets fixed only when absolutely necessary.

You've served in two Armies. Each was, man for man, among the world's best at...

was and is the US Army. Unfortunately, it is a big Army, not everyone studies the same things. Due to that size and 'democratic ideal' and 'fairness' driven personnel policies, those who did study...

LINK.

There's more. Here, 'Search' is ready when you are (LINK) and Google is available for the wider world...

Can't speak for now but some years ago he was studied at both the combat arms...

I wonder if that's why they call it history... :D

never spake...:wry:

Nor even to British or US politicians, victims of more and shorter comings than their Armed Forces... ;)

Not ignorance, stupidity. That foolishness still guides too much US Foreign policy. Bob's World has frequently mentioned that the 'cold war' mentality needs to go -- he is for some reason reluctant...

I think there are just as many or more here who may over believe in government. Certainly the elite educated crew now in power has no qualms about expanding the role of government.

We Americans...

There is lip service to one but there is no dedication to actually implementing the effort as, frankly, there is no real need for it to protect US interests. There are those here who wish one to be...

Good points all.

We have not done and will not ever do this COIN (or even Heavy FID...) bit well due to the factor noted by your comment I placed in bold.

We really need to develop Plans E-Z...

Selected items only:

2. Appoint Pakistani, Afghan, and Iranian ambassadors, businessmen/scholars conversant with the diversity of Islamic culture and history. ...

Fix our education and...

because it is totally unrealistic due to current US political, educational, social and military constructs. IOW, it's not going to happen.

Most of what's proposed in the "interview" by GEN Warner...

Bill Moore:True in both cases but DoD being pushed by the flavor / Admin / Think Tankette du jour and DoD adopting are two very different things. Dead right on the strait jacket bit, it is that. ...

Particularly these four thoughts which all merit repetition:All totally correct. The first item will not occur; simply look at how quickly the hard learned lessons of WW II, Korea and Viet Nam were...

I thought you know that if I saw the Taliban as threatening, EVERYONE must also do that...

Hmm. Wait. Something wrong. I don't think the Talibs are threatening.

Maybe that's because I'm not...

Pretty straightforward and achievable if seldom realized due to political constraints in a democracy as well as for OpSec reasons in today's rapid global communications environment.Logical but can be...

You do good work.

We do tend to get wrapped around terminology axles and we sure hop on the latest fad... :wry:

Causing us to frequently get too busy counting alligators. :D

Your points are well taken and they...

While I disagree on details, most of the disagreement is little more than a slew of minor quibbles. I agree with the thrust.

I have seriously believed we were on the wrong strategic approach for...

Some of us just knew it wouldn't work. Moore's law applies to 'Doctrine' nowadays.

Still, there's merit in your suggestion. What would be your ideal Powell Doctrine Version 2.0?

angle, in addition to listening ability (really listening), a suggestion if I may. You might consider another intangible imponderable...

A lot of people in positions of power have really big...