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September 11th, 2001 - A day........
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jomamason: [QB] A Letter from Lt. Col. Tony Kern, USAF (Ret) >>Foreign Affairs Miscellaneous >>Source: Dr. Tony Kern, Lt Col, USAF (Ret) >>Published: September, 2001 Author: Dr. Tony Kern, Lt Col, USAF (Ret) >>Posted on 09/19/2001 18:25:40 PDT by shootnloot >> >>Dear friends and fellow Americans, >> >>Like everyone else in this great country, I am reeling from last week's >>attack on our sovereignty. But unlike some, I am not reeling from >>surprise. As a career soldier and a student and teacher of military >>history, I have a different perspective and I think you should hear it. >> >>This war will be won or lost by the American citizens, not diplomats, >>politicians or soldiers. Let me briefly explain. In spite of what the >>media, and even our own government is telling us, this act was not >>committed by a group of mentally deranged fanatics. To dismiss them as >>such would be among the gravest of mistakes. This attack was committed >>by a ferocious, intelligent and dedicated adversary. Don't take this the >>wrong way. I don't admire these men and I deplore their tactics, but I >>respect their capabilities. >> >>The many parallels that have been made with the Japanese attack on Pearl >>Harbor are apropos. Not only because it was a brilliant sneak attack >>against a complacent America, but also because we may well be pulling >>our new adversaries out of caves 30 years after we think this war is >>over, just like my father's generation had to do with the formidable >>Japanese in the years following WW II. >> >>These men hate the United States with all of their being, and we must >>not underestimate the power of their moral commitment. Napoleon, perhaps >>the world's greatest combination of soldier and statesman, stated "the >>moral >>is to the physical as three is to one." Patton thought the Frenchman >>underestimated its importance and said moral conviction was five times >>more important in battle than physical strength. >> >>Our enemies are willing - better said anxious -- to give their lives for >>their cause. How committed are we America? And for how long? >>In addition to demonstrating great moral conviction, the recent attack >>demonstrated a mastery of some of the basic fundamentals of warfare >>taught to most military officers worldwide, namely simplicity, security >>and surprise. When I first heard rumors that some of these men may have >>been trained at our own Air War College, it made perfect sense to me. >>This was not a random act of violence, and we can expect the same sort >>of military competence to be displayed in the battle to come. >> >>This war will escalate, with a good portion of it happening right here >>in the good ol' U.S. of A. These men will not go easily into the night. >>They do not fear us. We must not fear them. In spite of our overwhelming >>conventional strength as the world's only "superpower" (a truly silly >>term), we are the underdog in this fight. As you listen to the carefully >>scripted rhetoric designed to prepare us for the march for war, please >>realize that America is not equipped or seriously trained for the battle >>ahead. To be certain, our soldiers are much better than the enemy, and >>we have some excellent "counter-terrorist" organizations, but they are >>mostly trained for hostage rescues, airfield seizures, or the occasional >>"body snatch," (which may come in handy). >> >>We will be fighting a war of annihilation, because if their early >>efforts are any indication, our enemy is ready and willing to die to the >>last man. Eradicating the enemy will be costly and time consuming. They >>have already deployed their forces in as many as 20 countries, and are >>likely living the lives of everyday citizens. Simply put, our soldiers >>will be tasked with a >>search and destroy mission on multiple foreign landscapes, and the >>public must be patient and supportive until the strategy and tactics can >>be worked out. >> >>For the most part, our military is still in the process of redefining >>itself and presided over by men and women who grew up with - and were >>promoted because they excelled in - Cold War doctrine, strategy and >>tactics. This will not be linear warfare, there will be no clear >>"centers of gravity" to strike with high technology weapons. Our vast >>technological edge will certainly be helpful, but it will not be >>decisive. Perhaps the perfect metaphor for the coming battle was >>introduced by the terrorists themselves board the hijacked aircraft -- >>this will be a knife fight, and it will be won or lost by the ingenuity >>and will of citizens and soldiers, not by software or smart bombs. >> >>We must also be patient with our military leaders. Unlike Americans who >>are eager to put this messy time behind us, our adversaries have time on >>their side, and they will use it. They plan to fight a battle of >>attrition, hoping to drag the battle out until the American public loses >>its will to fight. This might be difficult to believe in this euphoric >>time of flag waving >>and patriotism, but it is generally acknowledged that America lacks the >>stomach for a long fight. >> >>We need only look as far back as Vietnam, when North Vietnamese General >>Vo Nguyen Giap (also a military history teacher) defeated the United >>States of America without ever winning a major tactical battle. American >>soldiers who marched to war cheered on by flag waving Americans in 1965 >>were reviled and spat upon less than three years later when they >>returned. Although we hope that Osama Bin Laden is no Giap, he is >>certain to understand and employ the concept. >> >>We can expect not only large doses of pain like the recent attacks, but >>also less audacious "sand in the gears" tactics, ranging from livestock >>infestations to attacks at water supplies and power distribution >>facilities. These attacks are designed to hit us in our "comfort zone" >>forcing the average American to "pay more and play less" and eventually >>eroding our resolve. But it can only work if we let it. >> >>It is clear to me that the will of the American citizenry - you and I - >>is the center of gravity the enemy has targeted. It will be the fulcrum >>upon which victory or defeat will turn. He believes us to be soft, >>impatient, and self-centered. He may be right, but if so, we must >>change. >> >>The Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz, (the most often quoted and >>least read military theorist in history), says that there is a >>"remarkable trinity of war" that is composed of the (1) will of the >>people, (2) the political leadership of the government, and (3) the >>chance and probability that plays out on the field of battle, in that >>order. >> >>Every American citizen was in the crosshairs of last Tuesday's attack, >>not just those that were unfortunate enough to be in the World Trade >>Center or Pentagon. The will of the American people will decide this >>war. If we are to win, it will be because we have what it takes to >>persevere through a few more hits, learn from our mistakes, improvise, >>and adapt. If we can do that, we will eventually prevail. >> >>Everyone I've talked to In the past few days has shared a common >>frustration, saying in one form or another "I just wish I could do >>something!" You are already doing it. Just keep faith in America, and >>continue to support your President and military, and the outcome is >>certain. If we fail to do so, the outcome is equally certain. God Bless >>America! >> >>Dr. Tony Kern, Lt Col, USAF (Ret) Former Director of Military History, >>USAF Academy >>Prof. Eric Steinhart >>Department of Philosophy >>William Paterson University >>Wayne NJ 07470 USA >>973-720-3028 >>212-961-1021 [/QB][/QUOTE]
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