War on Terrorism Strategy

[driley]

United States Lacks the Capability to Counter Insurgency in the Muslim World

A report commissioned by the Pentagon and just released by the Rand Corporation calls into serious question our strategy in dealing with Islamist insurgencies. I think it is an interesting read.

http://www.rand.org/news/press/2008/02/11/

My summary is that we are not going to be able to shoot our way to victory. This is not WWII. Sure the military is heavily needed but they/we are not going to win this war on the strengths of our military alone.

[quade]

Um . . . yeah . . . they really needed a high priced "think tank" to figure that one out.

[driley]

Originally Posted by quade

Um . . . yeah . . . they really needed a high priced "think tank" to figure that one out.

Well, maybe it will help some others figure it out.

[jryan]

Originally Posted by driley

Well, maybe it will help some others figure it out.

I doubt it, this is by far not the first time the government (that is not controlled by the administration), has suggested such a thing! I think many will not change their views no matter what is presented to them! This is a great article and is the same thing I have been saying for years, but will probably have no effect except maybe persuading a smalll percentage of Mccain voters to swing the other way! Thank you though, I suppose when a think tank says it it means more than some 20 year old teen sitting on his bed!


Jeremy Ryan

[driley]

Originally Posted by jryan

I doubt it, this is by far not the first time the government (that is not controlled by the administration), has suggested such a thing! I think many will not change their views no matter what is presented to them! This is a great article and is the same thing I have been saying for years, but will probably have no effect except maybe persuading a smalll percentage of Mccain voters to swing the other way! Thank you though, I suppose when a think tank says it it means more than some 20 year old teen sitting on his bed!


Jeremy Ryan

I was thinking it might have some impact on the portion of the public that still seem to think we are going to win the war in terror the same way we won WWII.

[jryan]

Originally Posted by driley

I was thinking it might have some impact on the portion of the public that still seem to think we are going to win the war in terror the same way we won WWII.

Some maybe, it is a good article, yet some are too set in their ways to see it!


Jeremy Ryan

[quade]

Originally Posted by driley

I was thinking it might have some impact on the portion of the public that still seem to think we are going to win the war in terror the same way we won WWII.

Well, that is the basic issue. We're not at war with a military but rather "terrorists". There's no way to round them all up. There is no central "bunker" where the leader is holed up. We can't simply capture that and end the war. They simply go into hiding and can out last our willingness to occupy their country.

Further, it's not just one country.

There is no actual way to "win". Any semi-decent game theorist would have told them the exact same thing years ago and in fact, many did.