Another way?

[Bill Moore]

Mike,

I always admired your passion and courage to speak with your heart, and wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. I think your goals are important and like you I strongly suspect there is a better way, and it isn't COIN doctrine, it isn't the 3Ds, or hearts and minds, or any other fad that we have promoted. It probably is community and embracing our humanity. For a nation that claims to promote peace, we do over glorify war. Warriors will always be needed to defend societies, but we don't need to become Sparta to do so.

There has to be a better way than forever fighting the Long War. I’ll start figuring it out by waging a little peace.

We can't force peace, development, democracy or anything else upon others, we can only share it when they're receptive to it. It seems to me when we try to force it upon others, even with the best of intentions, we create an energy that then creates a countervailing energy that only spirals the violence upwards. This doesn't enable peace, but then again allowing the thugs to run the show doesn't either, so the right approach is still beyond our grasp and we need people to think hard about this and not simply come up with simpleton phrases like "hearts and minds" or if we just give them jobs, or we just need to kill more bad guys.

At best the military can implement a momentary peace only when it applies more energy than our opponents can oppose, and that momentary peace will only last as long as maintain that level of energy output. Maybe Ricks is right by default, I don't think the intent of the surge was to enable an honorable withdrawal, but it did in fact enable just that.

I doubt I will dismiss the necessity of war at times, which in itself is unfortunate, but over the years I have been humbled, and like you, I have learned the limitations of military force. To add to that, I have also have seen the limitations of diplomacy and development (at least the way we do it), so finding a better way is imperative.

Despite our tactical successes, however, we never arrived at a lasting peace. Nancy and Anna challenged me to begin looking at these types of conflicts differently.

All our talk about irregular "warfare" and why it is so important, and yet after years of it, whether "fighting" the drug war, countering insurgencies, or conducting stability operations, etc., we have rarely achieved our ends, and in our wake have left tens of thousands dead, homeless, angry and mobilized. All with the best intentions.

[MikeF]

I think your goals are important and like you I strongly suspect there is a better way, and it isn't COIN doctrine, it isn't the 3Ds, or hearts and minds, or any other fad that we have promoted. It probably is community and embracing our humanity. For a nation that claims to promote peace, we do over glorify war. Warriors will always be needed to defend societies, but we don't need to become Sparta to do so.

If you think that I'm tough on Galula and the COIN stuff, then you can imagine how tough I am on the peace studies folks .

In my mind, as we study, theorize, and practice, we must be realistic. Peace studies is not anti-war nor is it the absence of war. We cannot wish away human nature by trying to embrace humanity. There will always be conflict, but what matters is how we react to it and the choices we make.

On the positive side, as I've studied conflict resolution from my own failed and humbling attempts to get competing tribes to stop killing each other and live in harmony to the actual theories, it goes back to math. Specifically, John Nash's equilibrium on trying to divide utility with competing parties. However, the limitations of Nash is his focus on utility (minds) and not taking in to account hearts (feelings) and souls (value, norms, beliefs).

As I'm putting together my proposal which I'm hoping the school that I eventually teach at will accept, I'm envisioning plenty of guest speakers and Skype sessions.

I want to bring some of our best military minds, NGOs, etc into the classroom.

I can only imagine the impact this will have on young 15,16,17, and 18 year olds as they go through their own teenage years trying to determine who they are and what they want to be.

[Ken White]

Few can surpass that...

[MikeF]

We can't force peace, development, democracy or anything else upon others, we can only share it when they're receptive to it. It seems to me when we try to force it upon others, even with the best of intentions, we create an energy that then creates a countervailing energy that only spirals the violence upwards. This doesn't enable peace, but then again allowing the thugs to run the show doesn't either, so the right approach is still beyond our grasp and we need people to think hard about this and not simply come up with simpleton phrases like "hearts and minds" or if we just give them jobs, or we just need to kill more bad guys.

At best the military can implement a momentary peace only when it applies more energy than our opponents can oppose, and that momentary peace will only last as long as maintain that level of energy output. Maybe Ricks is right by default, I don't think the intent of the surge was to enable an honorable withdrawal, but it did in fact enable just that.

All our talk about irregular "warfare" and why it is so important, and yet after years of it, whether "fighting" the drug war, countering insurgencies, or conducting stability operations, etc., we have rarely achieved our ends, and in our wake have left tens of thousands dead, homeless, angry and mobilized. All with the best intentions.

The emphasis that I added to Bill's quote is quite profound. What I am hopeful is what will happen when veterans return and apply the same energy to their own communities. Except this time, it will be real building and no clearing.

[Steve Blair]

The emphasis that I added to Bill's quote is quite profound. What I am hopeful is what will happen when veterans return and apply the same energy to their own communities. Except this time, it will be real building and no clearing.

Look to the example of the Civil War veterans (the good, not the bad). What many of them achieved is quite remarkable and their impact on the nation very profound, and often missed in the whole "Greatest Generation" obsession.

[MikeF]

Look to the example of the Civil War veterans (the good, not the bad). What many of them achieved is quite remarkable and their impact on the nation very profound, and often missed in the whole "Greatest Generation" obsession.

Steve, I've always paid close attention when Ken White is sharing his journey

[Entropy]

Steve, I've always paid close attention when Ken White is sharing his journey

Poor Ken!

[Steve Blair]

Steve, I've always paid close attention when Ken White is sharing his journey

I said the Civil War, not the Punic Wars.

[Ken White]

elephants on you children...