On forgetting the obvious

Some truths are so obvious that to mention them in polite company seems either pointless or rude. What is left unstated, however, can with time be forgotten. Both of these observations apply today to the American way of war. It is obvious that a military can only fight well on behalf of a society in which it believes, and that a society which believes little is worth fighting for cannot, in the end, field an effective military. Obvious as this is, we seem to have forgotten it.

Remembering will help us in several ways. First, it will show us that the greatest asymmetry in our struggle with radical Islam is not one of arms or organization or even of ideology in any simple sense, but one of morale in the deepest sense. Second, it will provide an insight into the state of civil-military relations in our own country, which is a growing problem many of us refuse to acknowledge. And third, it will show us why some kinds of wars—“in-between” wars, I call them—have become inherently difficult for the United States to fight and win.

I wouldn’t worry. Large numbers of Americans have always abhorred war, going back to the American revolution.

Probably the worst time in our history was the American Civil War.

There were major anti-draft riots, politically ambitious General McClellan decided not to commit the Army of the Potomac to any major aggressive actions, the pro-slavery anti-war Copperheads rabble roused against the war effort, even encouraging Union soldiers to desert and aiding the Confederacy.

President Wilson avoided a lot of that nonsense in WWI by encouraging “patriotic organizations” (including indirectly the KKK), to beat up on anti-war troublemakers.

President “Old Frank” Roosevelt used the full power of the government to crack down on any opposition, even throwing the Socialist Party presidential candidate in prison. But there were still anti-draft riots.

The Korean War didn’t have much opposition because to a great extent it was ignored by the public, as was the Vietnam War in its early years.

But in the final analysis, America prefers short, decisive wars, and even with great success in such, like in Gulf War I, still will only appreciate it for a month or two.

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