Quote Originally Posted by Gian P Gentile View Post
Unfortunately, beyond your classroom and the halls of the armor and infantry schools counterinsurgency doctrine has become dominant in our army. It has become so dominant that at higher levels of command it has pushed us toward dogmatism and limits our ability to think creatively. You might also be accused by the high-priests of coin doctrine that you are part of the problem of the still conventionally minded American army who only wants to go out and fight Kursk-like battles and just dont "get it."
Hmmm, I think it may be important to make a clear distinction between "top of mind" and "dominant". I would certainly agree that COIN has become "top of mind" - that is inevitable given the current operations. But is it "dominant"? I truly doubt that it is. We have seen other periods where COIN was top of mind but, after the operations ceased, it went back into the institutional unconscious (excepting the Marine Corps). Why do you believe that it will be different this time?

Marc