Message-ID: <3781828.1075855092566.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 15:49:07 -0700 (PDT) From: m..love@enron.com To: wax@ghg.net, tarm27@texas.net, esmith@kanekatexas.com, fajb@ev1.net, gbsonnta@utmb.edu, james.love@msl.redstone.army.mil, kmartinec@houston.rr.com, mjillard@beaconelectric.com, rmwongozi@hotmail.com, cntrybr279@cs.com Subject: FW: Civil Discourse Bulletin Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: Love, Phillip M. X-To: "Scott , "tarek , Everett" "Smith (E-mail) , Frank Binetti (E-mail) , Gregory "Sonntag (E-mail) , James Love (E-mail) , Kenneth Martinec (E-mail) , Mike , ROCK (E-mail) , Steve & Karen Love (E-mail) X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \PLOVE (Non-Privileged)\Sent Items X-Origin: Love-P X-FileName: PLOVE (Non-Privileged).pst Interesting take on the state of affairs. PL -----Original Message----- From: Bass, Eric Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2001 10:04 AM To: Husser, Shanna; Hull, Bryan; Lenhart, Matthew; Blanchard, Timothy; Parks, Joe; Martin, Thomas A.; Schwieger, Jim; Winfree, O'Neal D.; Love, Phillip M.; Weldon, V. Charles Subject: FW: Civil Discourse Bulletin > THOUGHT YOU MIGHT ENJOY THIS ONE > > -----Original Message----- > From: Editor@civildiscourse.com [mailto:Editor@civildiscourse.com] > Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2001 6:49 AM > To: editor@civildiscourse.com > Subject: Civil Discourse Bulletin > > Recent posting in "Terror's Aftermath" in Public Affairs: > (The following essay, outlining how long the struggle against terrorism > might last, has been making the rounds on the Internet. Interestingly, it is > being forwarded by both hawks and doves. Perhaps the latter see this as a > wake-up call, while the former see it as an argument for a more overwhelming > response. This was written by Dr. Tony Kern, a retired Air force colonel and > an academic advisor at the USAF Academy.) > > 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 ole' 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 is 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, and 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 > aboard 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 Usama 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 on 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 erode his > 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. > (Post your thoughts on this or any topic via this bulletin, or visit the > site at http://www.civildiscourse.com) > > THE DAILY GROANER RETURNS! -- 9/25/01 > China sent an envoy to tell the president the US needn't worry about any > documents lost in the Pentagon blast. The People's Republic has copies of > everything. > > > Please return this email to file a question or suggestion, change your > bulletin schedule, or cancel the bulletin. To go directly to the website, > click http://www.civildiscourse.com >