It's About Liberty: A Conservative Forum

Topics => Military News/Veterans => Topic started by: jpatrickham on November 10, 2011, 02:09:34 PM

Title: West: U.S. Must Understand 21st-Century Combat
Post by: jpatrickham on November 10, 2011, 02:09:34 PM

By Rep. Allen West

Special to Roll Call

Nov. 2, 2011, Midnight
 

Quote

"Today’s paradigm of battle and combat operations is completely different from what I experienced in 1982 when I was commissioned as a young lieutenant in the U.S. Army. At that time, the battlefield was much simpler.

In broad strokes, there was the Soviet Union on one side and the United States on the other. We were familiar with their tactics and equipment, and they with ours. Both sides wore uniforms, and every now and then we would stage war games on border control missions.

That paradigm has completely disappeared, leaving in its place an asymmetrical battlefield with non-uniformed, non-state belligerents using unconventional weapons and tactics. If the United States is going to be successful in protecting its citizens and interests, it must quickly understand and adapt to this new battlefield and be prepared for success and victory.

While America may lack an appropriate strategic level perspective, we will never lose at the tactical level on the ground because the United States has the best soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen the world has ever known. But without the correct strategic and operational goals and objectives, we will find ourselves on the proverbial hamster wheel. No matter how much effort we exert on the wheel, we will not make forward progress.

To begin with, we must correctly identify our enemy. It is frankly naive to say we are at war with “terror” because a nation cannot be at war with a tactic. Imagine, if during World War II, the United States went to war against the “blitzkrieg” or the “kamikaze.”

Further, we cannot narrowly define the enemy as simply al-Qaida or the Taliban. It is just as ridiculous to say we declared war against the 12th German Panzer Division or the 55th Japanese Infantry Regiment in World War II or the 7th Guards Tank Division during the Cold War."

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_52/allen_west_united_states_must_understand_21st_century_combat-209937-1.html

Title: Re: West: U.S. Must Understand 21st-Century Combat
Post by: Libertas on November 10, 2011, 02:26:16 PM

1. Deny the enemy sanctuary.
2. Cut off the enemy’s flow of men, material and resources.
3. Win the information war
4. Cordon off the enemy and reduce his sphere of influence.

 ::thumbsup::

Sure would be a lot easier to accomplish without Dem's running interference for our enemies!!!

Title: Re: West: U.S. Must Understand 21st-Century Combat
Post by: Damn_Lucky on November 10, 2011, 04:32:25 PM

5. Glass lined parking lot. ::whoohoo::

Title: Re: West: U.S. Must Understand 21st-Century Combat
Post by: AlanS on November 10, 2011, 05:54:04 PM

Quote from: Damn_Lucky on November 10, 2011, 04:32:25 PM

5. Glass lined parking lot. ::whoohoo::

The best start. ::cool::

Title: Re: West: U.S. Must Understand 21st-Century Combat
Post by: jpatrickham on November 10, 2011, 08:45:46 PM

Quote from: Libertas on November 10, 2011, 02:26:16 PM

1. Deny the enemy sanctuary.
2. Cut off the enemy’s flow of men, material and resources.
3. Win the information war
4. Cordon off the enemy and reduce his sphere of influence.

 ::thumbsup::

Sure would be a lot easier to accomplish without Dem's running interference for our enemies!!!

Quote

"Sure would be a lot easier to accomplish without Dem's running interference for our enemies!!!"

If this Nation ever has to go to War against Islam, and it will, why stop there? ::rimshot::

Title: Re: West: U.S. Must Understand 21st-Century Combat
Post by: Libertas on November 10, 2011, 10:49:25 PM

You won't get an argument from me!

 ;)