Secret plans for 10-year war: Generals rule out 'D-Day invasion'

The Times (UK) ^ | SEPTEMBER 20 2001 | BY MICHAEL EVANS, DEFENCE EDITOR

[piasa]

This was the administration's point- read the text of the many announcements and speeches. There is no way, and truly never was any way, for the government to protect us from all fear and all danger. The administration, particularly Rumsfield, has pointed out that the best protection we have is our own individual determination to remain vigilent. Do you want to protect the 'chillun'? Then you must teach your children to be as sharp-eyed as a red-tail hawk. You must teach them to be cautious and to pay attention to their surroundings, instead of letting them keep their heads buried in the TV or in video games. You must teach them what to do if they see smoke or fire, what to do if they see people who look to be carrying a payload that isn't just lard, to notice peoople who are just lingering around for no reason, to notice unattended objects where they aren't suposed to be. And you should take care to pay attention so that they know you're listening and won't dismiss their concerns. You should also teach them basic lifesaving techniques and how to care for different types of wounds. And some methods of resistance for the older ones should be in order. This isn't paranoid- it is something everyone should already be doing, terrorist threat or not. Make sure you know too.

Ironically enough, inner city kids already know about the importance of careful observation of their surroundings- in other words, they have street smarts. It's the kids from more affluent parts of society that are more seriously lacking in survival skills.

It used to be, we didn't have to remind ourselves to simply be alert. It was instinctive, a trait of the agricultural and hunting culture from whence we came. Tracking animals was a way of feeding the family.

But today, tracking 'animals' is something more: it is the way to keep your culture from being utterly destroyed.

[piasa]

LOL. Too many wusses, too little time.

[sneakypete]

>>While we are planning our war on terrorism, what are we doing to protect ourselves from another attack?

If you read or listen to the news,you know the answer to this question.

>>Please, I beg you, please protect our children. What are we doing to stop an attack on schools? Has this thought crossed anyone's mind but me? <<

I hate to be the one to break the bad news to you,but there is NOTHING anybody including the gooberment can do to guarantee this won't happen. Your security is a illusion and always has been.

[Quaz957]

"The Chinese will "allow" us to invade Afghanistan, while they invade Taiwan. Meanwhile, much of our military electronics/hardware comes from Taiwan."

Maybe the way it was planned all along. I'm sure I won't be surprised if that money trail leads to both CHINA & IRAQ.

[Redcloak]

A "secret plan" with all the details for all to read, huh? British humor.

[Rudder]

The war on terrorism could be likened, they said, to the war on drugs or poverty...

Ahhh, just what we need at this moment...another bureaucratic boondoggle. This "secret" plan has all the earmarks of pedestrianism and certainly will not sustain popular support for very long...we're going to use boredom to bring the enemy to tears.

One good shot of anthrax on the west coast and this policy will abruptly change to what we should have done in the first place--declare war officially against international terrorism and take out entire regimes who serve as hosts.

[Califreeper]

Randog, I TOTALLY agree with you. I think operations will generally be SO covert that we will have no idea what's happening until it's over. There IS only one way to catch constantly moving groups of "cells" preparing for their dastardly deeds in dozens of countries -- surveillance and sneak attack. Carpet bombing won't work and will tick off too many governments around the world. Cheney was right when he said we will have to employ criminals to accomplish our goals. Of course, there probably WILL be a few big strikes, even if just for show... WHATEVER IT TAKES.....

[AGAviator]

a ten-year “war on terrorism...a completely new military and diplomatic strategy ...Despite the mass build-up of American forces in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean, there will be no “D-Day invasion” of Afghanistan and no repeat of the US-led Operation Desert Storm against Iraq in 1991...

. The notion that a US-led multinational coalition would attack Afghanistan from all sides...has been rejected....

The build-up of firepower by the Americans in the region... is seen as a major display of available military capability...

Old doctrines for fighting wars, based on lining up tanks and artillery and layers of troops, are being thrown out...

...military strikes will take place only as part of a broader global counter-terrorist operation, embracing ...diplomatic, economic and political [action].

However, President Bush...might sanction ...special forces, or airstrikes, but only if there is sufficient intelligence to guarantee a sucessful outcome....

Donald Rumsfeld, the American Defence Secretary, [said]...“I think ...over the next six, eight, ten, 12 months, probably over a period of years, is a coalition to help battle terrorists,”..

"...As we gather information, we’re preparing appropriate courses of action, and they run across the political and economic and financial, military, intelligence spectrum.”

...Everyone now knows it’s going to be a long haul, not a spectacular single strike,” ...

The war on terrorism could be likened, they said, to the war on drugs or poverty...use the method of “hearts and minds”...so that terrorists would be isolated and identified.

Some of the most dramatic achievements...might come...from political pressure on foreign governments...

...sources in Washington say there are no plans to deploy huge numbers of US troops to Pakistan...

Say what?

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

The war on terrorism could be likened, they said, to the war on drugs or poverty

oh crap are we in for trouble.

[AGAviator]

#49 FYI

[Travis McGee]

One of the most important "sticks" will be "hunter killer teams" composed of CIA and Delta guys who will pursue the intelligence chiefs of Iraq and other pro-terrorist states and kill them where ever and when ever they can.

This will be on the order what the Mossad did after the 1972 Munich olympics, only on a far vaster scale.

[nopardons]

BRAVA !

[Clinton's a liar]

Thank you for the flag, AGAviator.

Methinks "MICHAEL EVANS, DEFENCE EDITOR" is pushing his own agenda.

MadIvan: you have any intel on this joker?

[MadIvan]

Not really, I am not a Times reader, so really am not too aware of who is writing for their rag - I am a solid Daily Telegraph man. The Times has been squishy as of late - the Sun, the Daily Mail and the Telegraph (of course), remaining solid.

Regards, Ivan

[Clinton's a liar]

Thanks for the input, sweetie. Hugs.

[spectr17]

Yup, so secret, if ya read this they have to wax ya.

[ppaul]

I think that if we do not topple at least one terrorist-supporting government, we will lose credibility.

We lost that a long time ago. This is just icing on the cake.

[AGAviator]

Methinks "MICHAEL EVANS, DEFENCE EDITOR" is pushing his own agenda

It could be some disinformation, but OTOH there has to be some "hearts and minds" strategy or we will never have any human intelligence from the other countries.

Occupying Afghanistan is a huge challenge, and if it is not occupied, the minute bombing stops or even pauses people will go back to whatever they were doing before the attacks, which would include terrorist-related activities if that's their profession.

[Clinton's a liar]

I would agree with you, AGAviator, if the author hadn't used hot button "buzz words" throughout this piece. It looks like a propaganda piece to me.

Thanks, again, for the flag.