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To: spunkets

I posted this article on the Principles of War as taught at West Point. It is an academic tool to evaluate battles, operations and war. I used it to start a discussion on the subject here on FR. Tell me what war is?


96 posted on 08/18/2005 8:23:38 PM PDT by Yasotay
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To: Yasotay
"I posted this article on the Principles of War as taught at West Point. It is an academic tool to evaluate battles, operations and war. I used it to start a discussion on the subject here on FR. Tell me what war is?"

According to the USDOD, war is a clash of wills. The main enemy in the war on terror is the collection of State and nonstate actors that are engaged in terror tactics to thwart efforts to to promote peaceful and free commerce and the efforts to establish the honoring of rights and their protection.

The offensive began when the jihadists that mounted the attack on the US had the lands where they were free to operate and were given govm't support, were taken from them. They were either taken outright, as in Afghanistan and Iraq, or the govm'ts of others were moved to contain the terrorists. The US never let up on the offensive. The main focus of the jihadists is now the US mil in Iraq. The minor focus is the various civilian population centers around the world in desperation to force world opinion against the US. Their efforts there are counter productive.

As far as Iran and their nukes go, that is not part of the war on terror. That is a separate matter. It involves Putin's Russia and takes the form of traditional national conflict. The govm't of Iran itself, as with NK, is posing as a hostile nation.

Most of the principles you mentioned are not principles of war. They are elements of strategy.

121 posted on 08/18/2005 9:34:29 PM PDT by spunkets
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