Quote Originally Posted by Ken White View Post

Tom:We can disagree, that's okay -- but just as a point of interest, here are the two points I made:

"...Me, too. I'll give it a month or two before it quietly disappears. Not a smart move on several levels... "
That is where my disagreement comes in--it was a necessary move and one that we have needed to make for the past few years. It is not being done in a vacum; McChrystal's manning plan to improve command consistency should help in its execution.

You also said that Blackjack putting it in terms of running away, etc. etc. -- the way I took what he said was that message could be sent to the local populace if it appears you're unwilling to fight.
Blackjack used the term flee; that means running. How the population takes such a change depends on what you do. CAV offered a scenario that did not kill civilians nor did it allow the bad guys to escape.

Oh and Tom, on this I have to ask WHY have we been dancing with a problem like that -- and it is one -- for several years; why has it not been fixed before this?

I know the answer and it's not pretty and that really needs to be fixed. I doubt this order will fix it, it is attacking the symptom...

That said, I understand that need, really do -- but rather than "this," I would have greatly preferred better training. That would have, should have, meant no need for "this."
I would agree that better training would greatly help. I also believe that a command level directive was and is necessary as a rudder shift. That seems to be what McChrystal has in mind. Whether the shift lasts or slowly dies remains to be seen.

Tom