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Gates Outlines Pentagon Reform, New Strategies
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com —
... We should look askance at idealistic, triumphalist, or ethnocentric notions of future conflict that aspire to transcend the immutable principles and ugly realities of war, that imagine it is possible to cow, shock, or awe an enemy into submission, instead of tracking enemies down hilltop by hilltop, house by house, block by bloody block. As General William Tecumseh Sherman said, "Every attempt to make war easy and safe will result in humiliation and disaster."
Read the whole thing.
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Gates Outlines Pentagon Reform, New Strategies
The Huffington Post | Full News Feed —
... We should look askance at idealistic, triumphalist, or ethnocentric notions of future conflict that aspire to transcend the immutable principles and ugly realities of war, that imagine it is possible to cow, shock, or awe an enemy into submission, instead of tracking enemies down hilltop by hilltop, house by house, block by bloody block. As General William Tecumseh Sherman said, "Every attempt to make war easy and safe will result in humiliation and disaster."
Read the whole thing.
...
Irregular Warfare
Mudville Gazette —
Stability operations “shall be given priority comparable to combat operations.” That's the gist of the newly published DoD Directive 3000.07 (Irregular Warfare).
Small Wars Journal introduces the document here and offers additional commentary (by Sam Brannen, a fellow with the CSIS International Security Program) here.
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates explains: The defining principle of the Pentagon's new National Defense Strategy is balance. The United States cannot expect to ...
Friday 'In the News' Focus
Taylor Marsh —
... MARSH
As promised, highlighting those who took the time to post over on "In the News." It’s a great feature where anyone can focus attention on certain stories in the news, publicize their blog, or just rant. Opining is also welcome.
Meet Tony Smith at Dissenting Justice blog, who posted for the first time on "In the News." He’s got a terrific post up on Clinton.
Reader djjl is reading Kissinger.
Reader GeoT highlights Bob Gates’ article in Foreign Affairs.
Energy is the focus of reader ...
A Balanced Strategy
Jules Crittenden —
... Gates at Foreign Affairs on what he has in mind, covers a lot of bases. Quick excerpted version: The United States’ ability to deal with future threats will depend on its performance in current conflicts. To be blunt, to fail — or to be seen to fail — in either Iraq or Afghanistan would be a disastrous blow to U.S. credibility, both among friends and allies and among potential adversaries. In Iraq, the number of U.S. combat units there will decline over time — as it was going to do no matter who was elected president in November. Still, there will continue to be some kind of ...
Gates and the National Defense Strategy
Daily Kos —
... For what have been described as reasons of "continuity," President-elect Obama has chosen to retain Robert Gates as his Secretary of Defense, at least for the short term. It's of no small interest, then, to see what Secretary Gates has post-Obama-nod to say about his vision for the future of the military. Just how much continuity are we in for? As it turns out, Gates’ article in the January/February issue of Foreign Affairs, posted Dec. 5, claims basically to be a summary and affirmation of the 23-page Department of Defense 2008 ...
Conn Hallinan: Guns, Butter, and Obama
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com —
... In an article in the most recent Foreign Affairs, Defense Secretary Robert Gates lays out his roadmap for a new U.S. military: "What is dubbed the war on terror is…a prolonged, worldwide irregular campaign — a struggle between the forces of violent extremism and those of moderation. Direct military force will continue to play a role in the long-term effort against the terrorists and other extremists. But over the long term, the United States cannot kill or capture its way to victory." ...
Questions for Secretary Gates
The Washington Note —
... Gates makes a strong case in the recent issue of Foreign Affairs on the need for balance between equipping and training for big wars -- to counter great power adversaries or rising challengers (like China, and perhaps Russia) -- versus preparing for small wars -- counterinsurgency (COIN) and stability operations. The Defense Secretary seems to be trying to split the difference in a battle that continues to be fought within DOD over whether the US military should be adapting and retraining to these new operations or stick to what the US military has historically done ...
Jonathan Powers: Rebalancing our National Security Strategy
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com —
... No one understands this better than Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. In a recent article in Foreign Affairs, he outlines the need for "reprogramming the Pentagon for a new age" and creating a new and balanced strategy because "the United States cannot kill or capture its way to victory." He fully understands that the military must develop more than conventional firepower to win this long war. As a veteran of the Iraq war, I believe Secretary Gates is definitely on the right track. ...
