Quote Originally Posted by MikeF View Post
...To date, little analysis has been conducted on AQ's ideology and strategy.
I think there may be more analysis than you suspect. The problem is that it's inconclusive but it is still being worked.
...as many others throughout time have espoused, know your enemy as you know yourself.
Yeah, I've heard that, unfortunately or fortunately viewpoint dependent, I've discovered that one can't even know their friends as well as they know themselves, much less their enemies -- and, know what, that shortfall only complicates things a small amount. Quite small.

I think only in books and movies is that dictum workable; on the ground, it's extremely difficult and rarely provides any insights that significantly change the course of war.

A thorough historical review will show that most battles in the modern era were or are meeting engagements -- that's pretty much true at all levels from minor tactical to the strategic. So all you have to do is be better at correct (note NOT rapid; the OODA loops foolishness is fast draw stuff) response and you're ahead. If you've got a good sense of your opponent OR you've got good scouts, you can get a bit further ahead. Perhaps if you really knew him you could win easily -- but then if you really knew him, there might not be any cause for hostilities...

Yet hostilities are a constant, maybe mostly because we don't understand each other nearly as well as the Sociologists would prefer. Fortunately, it's also been my observation through the last 60 plus years that we have never known our enemy very well but happily, they always seem to be a little more discombobulated than we are.
Throughout the last two years, I've searched for anyone trying to answer these questions.
Good questions but I certainly have no answers. I had a long discussion not too long ago with Wilf and 120mm with them taking the position that there were no cultural differences that preclude understanding others. They're entitled to their opinions but I disagreed. That disagreement was more than a bit based on the fact that I've fought people from at least four other cultures and neither I nor my superiors up to the national level really understood the opponents.
but neither solution will solve our AQ problem.
Totally true. I suspect only time will really solve that...