JMA,

First, before I answer your questions, let me say something and you can take it anyway you want. How you respond is up to you. I would appreciate it if you stop using a broad brush to paint all Americans as "arrogant and stupid". While no doubt America has it's fare share of "useful idiots" as you so like to throw out, I'd argue that there is a silent majority of Americans who are smart and hard working people who on top of all that would be willing to hand you the shirt off their back if you were in need. To continue to talk that way is an insult to the many fine people in this country. I'm sure you would take offence (<-- proper Queen's English for those so inclined) if I continually painted all former white Rhodesian's as racists and I'm sure you know that isn't correct right?

Now, back to what this thread and specifically your questions in regards to the philosophical differences of how you and your fellow Rhodesians were forced to operate and innovate as compared to the large, highly funded, culturally diverse branches of the US armed forces currently operate.

First, smaller can sometimes be better as the Rhodesian military so aptly demonstrated in its operations during the Rhodesian Bush War (if that is not the proper term you prefer to use I am listening and more than willing to correct myself). While you made it quite clear that you were unhappy with the Journal's publishing of that article about Rhodesia, the fact is that if it hadn't been for that article my thoughts and interests about your conflict may very well have stayed dormant in my memory banks forever. I was a small child living very far from that conflict when it was winding down so my first hand knowledge is pretty much non-existent except for all those Soldier of Fortune articles I read when I was young. With that being said, especially after jcustis made his remarks about how the US Marines has employed its aviation assets and specifically its rotary wing assets over the last decade plus, this entire subject has piqued my interest tremendously.

One of the problems we arrogant Americans continually make is that we want to continue to fight the large naval and amphibious battles of the Pacific, the air campaign over Nazi Germany, the rapid blitzkrieg across France and western Europe or the grinding frontal assaults of the Civil War. What I think we tend to lose focus on is the small wars, the ones we have continually been fighting since we took our independence from the Brits (no offence towards my fellow Brits who are reading this). In fact, I wouldn't be on this site if it wasn't for my interest in small wars. From these small wars there is a wealth of information to be learned, the hard part is knowing where to find it. That is what I like about this site, it helps point you in the right direction when a particular subject catches your eye.

Getting back on track, I feel that there is A LOT of tactical and operational levels to be learned from the Rhodesian Bush War. I think the Rhodesian use of aviation assets could be very beneficial for lots of militaries around the world, especially ones who are fighting "insurgents/freedom fighters/guerrillas" in some lonely long forgotten piece of land. The problem we Americans have is that we are used to abundance and in a military that spends the equivalent of many countries yearly military budgets one weapon system like a B-2 stealth bomber or a nuclear powered aircraft carrier it can be hard to be innovative. Between our gluttonous appetite for expensive weapon systems and our ever increasing technology addiction we tend to forget that the greatest asset is the person. The less a person has the more innovative they will have to become in order to achieve success when faced with challenging circumstances. So from a pure "doing more with less" mentality most of the US and its military are poor examples of that. The one traditional exception to this role has been that of the US Marines but over the last 20 years I'm starting to believe that even Marines are becoming addicted to the "large expenditure/ fancy weapon systems" crowd. Classic examples of this are the Corps primary replacement aviation assets of the MV-22 and F-35 aircraft. Both of these aircraft are tremendously expensive and I'm still skeptical of how useful they really would be in a conflict such as the one Rhodesia found itself in. I believe aircraft like the H-60 and A-10 would be much more useful, appropriate, survival and most importantly cheap, like REALLY cheap compared to the MV-22/F-35. When you take into account the increase in night vision device technology (which itself can practically be bought off the counter now) and small cheap UAVs these things could be integrated into lethal utility without high overhead costs. You made mention about how the Rhodesian Air Force was pretty much "grounded" at night due to limitations of available night vision devices, can you image how much they would have changed the picture if your air force had access to these back then?

In regards to inter-service rivalry, vested interests, rank structure, rules etc I think this becomes a two way street. First, I think inter-service rivalry can be healthy as it breeds competition and this competition can force people to take pride in their unit/organization and to push themselves to be better. At the local level, I've worked with every branch of the US armed forces including the Coast Guard and all of them have had their share of go-getters and a few turds sprinkled in here and there. I think the problems were are seeing today within the US have to do with leadership but I have faith that if a large enough crisis came about the cream would actually rise to the top and we'd see a completely different military than what we are seeing right now. I'm kind of a Churchill student in the sense that I have faith in my fellow citizen when the time comes for the hard work to be done. When it's easy going, the sloths seem to appear and take over (no offense to the animal).

Yes, I think vested interests, rules and the like can be bad especially if they become self serving and take away from the greater good. I'm an idealist when it comes to the greater good, I always hope people will set aside their petty differences to do what's RIGHT for the big picture. Unfortunately, this is often not the case as some of us well know.

Your war was unique in many ways and much of what Rhodesia went through will never apply or carry over to the US. I'm sure fighting for your very existence gives one plenty of incentive to put their heart and soul into it and equally devastating when it doesn't work out. Remember, the US went through a Great Civil War many decades ago. I often think about what it must have been like for those people back then whenever I read about the US Civil War. The thought of taking up arms against men who I had previously served with in combat is unfathomable to me but remember this was the norm when the Civil War broke out. Men who had come into the service together, went through schooling together, fought in other wars together, then woke up one day, switched uniforms (if they went with the South) and then engaged in mortal combat with their former brothers-in-arms. People can say what they want about General Robert E. Lee, but here is a guy who fought and served the US and when war broke out between the states, he had to make the decision which side he would take. When he took it, it meant fighting against the very country he had served all the while throwing the lives of thousands of his (Southern) countrymen into the cauldron of fire. When defeated he laid down his arms and asked that his men join him in defeat and not to continue the hate against their former enemy (who had once been their former countrymen-talk about a mind trip).

So in closing, the truth is a strange animal. I think there are many things about the experiences in Rhodesia that are worth studying and remembering. I also know that the innovation and approach to some of the issues you all dealt with will never apply to the US. However, for the man who is willing to dedicate his life to the profession of arms to dismiss another conflict because of its differences is a grave mistake. It is only with open discourse and rigorous study can someone become a better rounded person who can help find his way when things start to become dark. Hubris, arrogance, and complacency are sure to get you killed no matter how big a stick you carry.