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 Re: Technology vs Tactics
 
DavidS
988 posts
www.novelier.com
4th
Joined
1/23/2006

Re: Technology vs Tactics
Posted: 01 Jun 06 11:07 PM Modified By DavidS  on 6/1/2006 11:08:31 PM)
Southwind,

Politics and war, unfortunately, go hand in hand.

Please don't misunderstand me; even though I think the invasion of Iraq was a mistake to begin with, I strongly disagree with those who say we should simply withdraw. If we withdraw with Iraq in the mess it's in, we will have worse than failed, we will have left an initially bad situation (Saddam's dictatorship) in even worse condition. More than that, we will have displayed to the world that we cannot be relied on to finish what we start, and will encourage our enemies to attack us again and again, secure in the knowledge that we don't have the stomach to fight to victory. My sympathies in this war are firmly with the troops fighting it. It's our top level leadership I have problems with.

You're absolutely right that technology without tactics and strategy is worthless.

Politics, yeah. I wish I knew what the president's real reason was for invading Iraq.

Barcelonablom,

Tough? Chesty Puller was a terror. Even when I was in the Marines, years after he retired, active duty Marines were still afraid of him.
SouthWind
66 posts
www.19ag.com
Joined
4/22/2006

Re: Technology vs Tactics
Posted: 02 Jun 06 12:28 AM

Yeah, I know politics and war go hand in hand, however, I disagree when they step in the way and dictate to those who are doing their job, just how they should do it. I believe our higher command of the armed forces know what they're doing, but alot of the times they have the tendicies to get involved with the politics of war and sometimes have political agendas of their own. I agree with everything you said, and that's one of my biggest problems. We need to wrap it up before we choose a new Head of State, otherwise things could become....mucky.

I wish I knew his reason too, but I want to know why it's taken the focus off of Osama. Did America just forget about him? Wasn't he the main reason we were over on that side of the world in the first place?

 

 

 


mclark
187 posts
5th
Joined
1/27/2006

Re: Technology vs Tactics
Posted: 02 Jun 06 1:31 AM
 SouthWind wrote

I wish I knew his reason too, but I want to know why it's taken the focus off of Osama. Did America just forget about him? Wasn't he the main reason we were over on that side of the world in the first place?

I agree with what David wrote above -- shouldn't have gone there, but now that we're there we better leave when we succeed, not in the middle and leave the new Iraqi govt in the lurch.

As far as Osama is concerned, SouthWind, I am sure the focus on Osama has never been lost.  However, you don't send the 3rd Infantry Division after him, you send small, secretive, specially-trained and led troops.  And Osama isn't the real focus anyway.  You have to defeat those who fight for him. The problem is, that even if they locate and capture/kill bin Laden, he is likely little more than a figurehead now anyway, and will then become a martyr to The Cause.  Better if Osama should stay uncaptured while his organization slowly or quickly dissolves around him.

More to say, but no time to say it...

Finucane
1933 posts
2nd
Joined
1/25/2006

Re: Technology vs Tactics
Posted: 02 Jun 06 3:33 AM
With over a billion Muslims in the world, many of whom would be willing to give Osama cover, capturing or killing him is not an easy mission.  We've been looking for him for over three years now using the entire military, police, and intelligence services available to us as well as offering a multi-million-dollar reward for information leading to his death or capture, and nobody's taken us up on it.   Myself, I think he's been given sanctuary in Iran.   We shouldn't be too optimistic about this jihad fading away either.  Once again I think we have misunderstood our enemy.  For them this is a religious war, one that's been going on for a long time now, a war in which eternal life in paradise is at the end of the road.  For us it's a cold beer and a cheesburger.  Who do you think will give up first?  The longer this war drags on and the longer the casualty lists, the stronger the urge to quit is going to be.  We've been there before and they know it.  Time and history are on Osama's side, or that's the way I think he sees it, and he's counting on us running out of will before he runs out of suicide bombers.

I believe we all will have more to say on this subject.
Wing Wiper
52 posts
Joined
3/6/2006

Re: Technology vs Tactics
Posted: 02 Jun 06 11:00 AM
There are many occasions in history where you can see where smaller forces held up larger forces.

1. The Philipine Guerrilas numbering about 25K (no one knows for sure) made the Japanese comit close to 200K to keep the Island chain and that was to contain not defeat.

2. The Battle of Midway US naval forces with three carriers beat a Japanese naval force with 6 carriers. This was the first time a naval battle was fought with out seeing each other and it was also the death cry of the Battleship.

3. our own revalutionary war is a good example.

MClark has a good point about Gen Forrest but I like Gen Pattons better "Grab your enemy by the nose and kick him in the A%#.

Now here is a good question for our lovable Marines. How do you bust up a ambush?
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