Quote Originally Posted by Surferbeetle View Post
With the benefit of hind sight would more MCO or COIN or some combo thereof have made a difference on the M side of DIME?
However, all things considered and given the goal of an independent, democratic (western version) nation, probably neither would've made much difference in the long run -- the nationalistic strain was too powerful. All out MCO could've taken us to Hanoi in less than six months -- but the Eurocentric staff at MACV / USARV would not have known how to handle the resultant COIN effort and the South was not ready for it at the time. In any event, we went in with a 'limited objective' in mind and "all out" wasn't in the cards. Shades of I-rak, 40 years later...
During OIF 1 it was my impression that if we had consistently and heavily focused upon the populace across the country within the first six months after the initial MCO we could have kept/flipped enough folks to have kept the lid on. The combination of summer heat, little or no electricity, mass 'downsizing' among the workforce, and deteriorating population security snuffed out that candle however and we all know the rest...
Agreed. Missteps by the 2/82 in April of '03 followed by the doofus decision to disband the Army and Police allied with a total lack of knowledge (and combat arms ego-centric disinclination to use CA) of what to do doomed us to what occurred. Replacing McKiernan with Sanchez was also abysmally stupid...

Both wars were hobbled by very poor pre attack intel and an overweening sense of hubris at the WH that didn't pay enough attention to the intel that was available. Add to that Army egos which refused to listen to FAOs and others who knew the area and the people; Commanders who selected campaign goals that were flawed; and an overall inadequately trained Army...

All problems that could've and should've been avoided.