Inspiration needed - SWJ town square scene

[Steve Blair]

Why just fixate on current events? This isn't the SWJ Current Conflicts Town Square, either. Small Wars are timeless in so many ways (and will most likely remain so until Wilf can impose his war dictatorship that only allows major state-on-state refereed events....). You could have a bemused member of Marius' Mules resting on his pilum and looking at his modern counterpart (a Marine, perhaps, with his 100lb+ 'combat load'). Behind them could be a member of Mackenzie's Fourth Cavalry kitted out for campaign, and the ubiquitous "Red Coat" fitted for an extended patrol in India or Afghanistan. Scouts and auxiliaries from all eras could be shown brewing coffee around a fire, waiting for the large state troops to get their acts in gear.

The idea of small wars transcends eras, no matter how much doctrinal bickering may currently surround them.

[Cold Sea]

Why just fixate on current events? This isn't the SWJ Current Conflicts Town Square, either. Small Wars are timeless in so many ways ...The idea of small wars transcends eras, no matter how much doctrinal bickering may currently surround them.

Which brings up an interesting point...Should historical figures like Che or Giap be included in this particular illustration?

[Steve Blair]

Giap would be a candidate for sure. Che already has his own t-shirt.

[Corto]

Giap would be a candidate for sure. Che already has his own t-shirt.

Point taken about Che...
But I suppose that the illustration is about counterinsurgents, not insurgents...So I retract my suggestion about Giap. Otherwise the illustration would have to include Mao, Sandino, Aguinaldo, OBL, etc.

[slapout9]

How about the picture of Che on the morgue slab it was published in a lot of papers back in the day.

[40below]

How about the picture of Che on the morgue slab it was published in a lot of papers back in the day.

Hell, toss in a pic of Prabhakaran on his slab as a bookend to that one.

[Starbuck]

Point taken about Che...
But I suppose that the illustration is about counterinsurgents, not insurgents...So I retract my suggestion about Giap. Otherwise the illustration would have to include Mao, Sandino, Aguinaldo, OBL, etc.

I don't know...many service members have an affinity for T.E. Lawrence, and he was definitely the insurgent.

[OfTheTroops]

another success

Von Steuben

Geronimo

BOS is out Warfightin Function in
my knowledge is too limited to keep up
Lotsa buzzwords of course

PPT

[Steve Blair]

Geronimo was of limited utility, though like Che he's good on t-shirts....

Of the NA leadership, Red Cloud would be a good choice, as would Cochise or Mangas Coloradas. There's also a slew of Eastern tribes who could toss up some significant leaders.

[William F. Owen]

(and will most likely remain so until Wilf can impose his war dictatorship that only allows major state-on-state refereed events....).

Actually the opposite. I'm a Small Wars guy!
Big Wars are extremely scary and dangerous and require actual expertise. You have to be able to command, do logistics and move large numbers of men.

Small Wars has none of that, and they are rarely strategically decisive. I'd rather be crushing rebellions than fighting for anything that actually mattered, against anyone who was actually any good!

[Backwards Observer]

Rambo: First Blood Part II - The Musical (You Not Expendable)

You Not Expendable (Youtube Link)

(Hat Tip - Dangerous Minds)

[sabers8th]

Rand Held its COIN Symposium in 1962 could do a round table with Stephen Hosmer facilitating these honorable gentlemen:

Charles T.R. Bohannan, Lieutenant Colonel, AUS-Ret.
Wendell W. Fertig, Colonel, USA-Ret.
David Galula, Lieutenant Colonel (French Marine Corps)
Anthony S. Jeapes, Captain (British Army)
Frank E. Kitson, MBE, MC, Lieutenant Colonel (British Army)
Edward Geary Lansdale, Brigadier General, USAF
Rufus C. Phillips, III
David Leonard Powell-Jones, DSO, OBEY Brigadier General
(British Army)
John R. Shirley, OBE, Colonel (British Army-Ret.)
Napoleon D. Valeriano, Colonel (formerly with the Armed Forces
of the Philippines)
John F. White, Colonel (Royal Australian Army)
Samuel V. Wilson, Lieutenant Colonel, USA

[Corto]

Rand Held its COIN Symposium in 1962 could do a round table with Stephen Hosmer facilitating these honorable gentlemen: ...

They skipped Sir Robert Thompson!

[MikeF]

They skipped Sir Robert Thompson!

I think he was deployed to Vietnam during the symposium.

[MikeF]

Rand Held its COIN Symposium in 1962 could do a round table with Stephen Hosmer facilitating these honorable gentlemen:

Charles T.R. Bohannan, Lieutenant Colonel, AUS-Ret.
Wendell W. Fertig, Colonel, USA-Ret.
David Galula, Lieutenant Colonel (French Marine Corps)
Anthony S. Jeapes, Captain (British Army)
Frank E. Kitson, MBE, MC, Lieutenant Colonel (British Army)
Edward Geary Lansdale, Brigadier General, USAF
Rufus C. Phillips, III
David Leonard Powell-Jones, DSO, OBEY Brigadier General
(British Army)
John R. Shirley, OBE, Colonel (British Army-Ret.)
Napoleon D. Valeriano, Colonel (formerly with the Armed Forces
of the Philippines)
John F. White, Colonel (Royal Australian Army)
Samuel V. Wilson, Lieutenant Colonel, USA

Here's the link to the document. The file is rather large, but well worth the read for anyone that wants to be a serious practisioner. As with all Rand products, make sure you click the free download button and not the "pay to play" button.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/reports/R412-1/

[Cold Sea]

Here's the link to the document. The file is rather large, but well worth the read for anyone that wants to be a serious practisioner. As with all Rand products, make sure you click the free download button and not the "pay to play" button.

Thanks for that link! That's one hell of a meeting of minds...

[MikeF]

Thanks for that link! That's one hell of a meeting of minds...

I just wished that we had transcripts of the private conversations that they had at night at the bars.