Quote Originally Posted by Ken White View Post
However, ever now and then I do think I need to throw a cautionary wet blanket (with sand) on the beach party...I suggest there is not so much a progression of doctrine as a plethora of names which have by themselves fragmented effort to an extent by precluding a consistent doctrine. Everyone wants to make big tracks when they're on watch...You keep using these and I keep pointing out that the circumstances and the people were and are totally different -- that's a bad comparison, the politics of the day, the economics, the troop strength and several other factors make those literally dangerous and misleading comparisons. Such an effort is not going to be made today. Not even close.We need to invest in it and will -- the real question is to what extent and for what use...
...and so it's worth the wet blanket (even with the sand).

Ken,

We are in agreement that getting the analysis wrong can have dangerous consequences and that Germany & Japan are not the best fit models for Iraq & Afghanistan for the reasons that you mention...however I am open to suggestions as I dig around and try and find/understand more appropriate models

We certainly have other fish to fry when it comes to dedicating a four-star to head up CA/CMO operations for these two conflicts, but having been spoiled by having worked for some good GO's...

Steve