Inspiration needed - SWJ town square scene

[SWCAdmin]

So we've often imagined ourselves as the open, unclass, neutral ground akin to a market in a town square at a little Swiss crossroads amongst all the mountain peaks of the various silos of excellence and juggernauts of cloistered brilliance. Now we are very fortunate to have an illustrator who is going to turn that image into a reality.

Now calling for what sort of things should be pictured in there.

We're not really sure if we'll make it very busy with TONS of stuff, a la Where's Waldo?, or we'll distill significantly. But for now, free thinking hats on.

What are the images that depict the essence of small wars and Small Wars Journal? Today and historical.

Examples: (don't bother trying to categorize, I just threw a couple out to make sure we're thinking broadly and uncategorized)

• People - Teddy Roosevelt and his rough riders, Petraeus & Crocker, Clausewitz
• Activities - voting, MEDCAP, Predator strike
• Places / Things - 9/11, Saddam's statue, Gitmo, Algiers
• Misc squishy things - justice, 3 block war

We'll be watching this list and culling the ideas for development with the artist. Please fire away.

[slapout9]

John Wayne with his Green Beret!

[jcustis]

-a silhouette of a commander at the end of a handset, running from a radio on a RTO's back
-a silhouette of a corpsman/medic administering aid to a child
-a silhouette or photo of a Marine/soldier playing soccer with LN children, while other troops are conspicuous in the background as overwatch.

[Steve Blair]

Originally Posted by jcustis

-a silhouette of a commander at the end of a handset, running from a radio on a RTO's back
-a silhouette of a corpsman/medic administering aid to a child
-a silhouette or photo of a Marine/soldier playing soccer with LN children, while other troops are conspicuous in the background as overwatch.

I also like the TR idea. Somewhere in the corner you need a copy of the original Small Wars Manual, and maybe a shadow of Old Bill (the mounted trooper done by Remington to show the continuing role of cavalry in the US's small wars).

And Slap, what about a SF guy based loosely on Larry Thorne? Might better capture the international aspect of SW.

[davidbfpo]

A 'terp' helping the infidel, a map upside down and something that shows how weird the real world is. Maybe a Russian-made chopper, in US markings?

[Polarbear1605]

How about the cover from the book "The Ordeal of Samar" ...file attached

[slapout9]

Originally Posted by jcustis

-a silhouette of a commander at the end of a handset, running from a radio on a RTO's back

Having been an RTO for a Platoon leader and Company Commander (carried all my gear plus a PRICK 77) I can strongly identify with this one

[Kiwigrunt]

A confused wounded UN soldier with an unloaded rifle pointing at his ROE card or COIN manual while locals with cell phones try to penetrate his body armour with spears to finish him off.

With a jet flying overhead…..and a donkey and a Hummer in the distance…and a man in a three piece suite with a briefcase standing with his back to it all, lecturing the commander.

[M-A Lagrange]

Originally Posted by Kiwigrunt

A confused wounded UN soldier with an unloaded rifle pointing at his ROE card or COIN manual while locals with cell phones try to penetrate his body armour with spears to finish him off.

With a jet flying overhead…..and a donkey and a Hummer in the distance…and a man in a three piece suite with a briefcase standing with his back to it all, lecturing the commander.

A confused wounded UN soldier with a stick trying to contain local militia armed with cell phones and AK or RPG and to calm them down by distributing candies.

With an MI8 flying over and a old APC tracked by donkeys and a man in a three piece suite with a briefcase lecturing the commander who is drinking tea and watching cricket in a parade uniform from a powerfull country as swaziland...

That would be more accurate

[Red Rat]

A TV news crew or at least locals shooting footage on their '4G' mobiles!

Not sure how we could illustrate IEDs - perhaps a C-IED team?

Getting Picassoesque perhaps something showing the use and abuse of religious faith in small wars (and large ones too)? A skyline with Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist temples or one building with aspects of all 4 (or more)?

[William F. Owen]

A sniper scope image with the cross hairs resting on the head of an armed rebel/insurgent - who is kissing his wife and child "good-bye." - literally!
Kill the bad guy. Not his family.

Sorry if that's a bit full on for the all "Oprah Winfrey Way of War" folk so here's a picture to make you feel "fluffy".

[Red Rat]

Has George Michael left 'Wham' and joined the IDF?

[Bob's World]

Interesting. Comes back to the question of "what is a small war"?

Grenada, the Falkland Island campaign were both small wars, but very conventional.

Iraq and Afghanistan both large wars, but with a mix of activities. As was WWII and WWI for that matter (uh oh, getting into the equally messy reality that Asymmetric Warfare is nothing new either.}

You could have scenes of Armor and Artillery units rolling up guideons and disbanding; while officers from the same units then migrate to Leavenworth to write manuals on Counterinsurgency and Irregular Warfare, et al.

I guess as good of definition as any is that a small war is one where the populace at home has no real stake as to if the conflict is won or lost, and goes on about its life with business as usual before, during and after; win, lose or draw. Sadly, we can all draw dozens of images of how to picture that.

(and after writing this, realize that once again I have determined that the critical perception is that of the affected populace. "size" is determined by how important the populace thinks the war is, not by number of troops engaged, area covered, casualties incurred, tactics employed, etc, though all contribute to that perception.)

Next post will be from back in Kabul, packing up the computer and getting ready to head out.

[SWCAdmin]

Good stuff. Thanks, all. Keep 'em coming!

[William F. Owen]

Originally Posted by Red Rat

Has George Michael left 'Wham' and joined the IDF?

It's now OK to be gay in the IDF - actually has been for quite some time.

Originally Posted by Bob's World

Interesting. Comes back to the question of "what is a small war"?

Small Wars is IMO, a very useful term. - as used in the 1906 covering letter to the Imperial General Staff, by C.E. Callwell!
Small war is warfare against irregulars/rebels.
The Falklands was in no way a Small War. May have been over some small Islands, but it was definitely all arms formation combat operations between regular armies.

[Fuchs]

Originally Posted by William F. Owen

The Falklands was in no way a Small War. May have been over some small Islands, but it was definitely all arms formation combat operations between regular armies.

There weren't enough tanks/AFV present to really call it "all arms".
The UK had iirc a half dozen CVR(T) and the Argentinians had iirc a similar number French-made 4x4 armoured cars that were iirc unable to move up the icy hills during battle.

[selil]

I'm kind of partial to it.

[Bob's World]

The scotch and the Oreos are proven commodities, will be happy to join you for both.

As to the book, I'm not so sure. I'm mentally composing a piece tentatively titled: "Zombie COIN - Why FM 3-24 has no Soul"

("Soul" being an understanding of insurgency itself. Ok, couldn't help myself, still sitting at the airport...)

[slapout9]

Don't know how to put this on a T-Shirt but it is inspirational.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FVrpiG7haE

[Corto]

How about the "I give a #### about your chai!" Guy:
http://www.cnas.org/blogs/abumuqawam...t-mission.html
To me he sums up the whole deal.