Stuck in the Quicksand (Hackworth Article Poor Timing Alert)

SFTT.Org ^ | April 1, 2003 | David H. Hackworth

[PJ-Comix]

Since Vice President Dick Cheney said he saw the war in terms of “weeks rather than months,” I wish I could report that Tommy Franks’ grunts were beating Desert Storm's 100-hour-war record set by Stormin’ Norman's studs in 1991. But because Saddam got the message in 1991 that his army couldn't stand toe-to-toe with our military machine and walk away the winner, that's sadly not the case.

Instead, Saddam’s sadists took a page from the post-World War I German Command, which came up with a smart new way of doing war business after waving the white flag and subsequently blitzkrieged its way across Europe in just over a year.

The vanquished tend to question why they lost and adjust their battle tactics and gear accordingly. The victors seldom bother to mess with success. Which is probably why, given Desert Storm's easy score, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld felt comfortable going back to the Gulf with four combat divisions – even though the president authorized eight. Especially when air power's “shock and awe” promised a quicker, cheaper win.

Now we're stuck in the Iraqi quicksand in a soon-to-be burning desert with guerrillas tearing up our rear, doing unto our troops whatever unconventional fighters did to the French at Moscow, the Germans at Stalingrad, the Americans in Vietnam and Somalia, the Soviets in Afghanistan and the Russians in Chechnya.

While Saddam was watching videotapes of “Apocalypse Now” and “Black Hawk Down” and taking notes, Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Richard Myers – badly misjudging Iraq's determination – chose to refight Desert Storm.

The Dream Team made three classic mistakes:

* Not understanding the enemy or the nature of the war.

* Thinking smart bombs would do the job.

* Underestimating the patriotism of the average Saddam-hating Iraqi and how fiercely he'd fight for his country.

Sources who participated in the year-long war games prepping for Operation Iraqi Freedom say prescient junior officers – pointing out that Saddam was publicly ordering his people to prepare to fight unconventionally – pushed strongly for scenarios to include: insurgent strikes to soft rear areas with missiles; hit-and-run guerillas cutting our supply lines; and other suicide assaults such as car bombs.

But the brass blew off their paramilitary prophecy as radical thinking. Majors don't win verbal wars with generals – particularly slick political types under the thumb of an overpowering SecDef who seems to have bet a lot of lives on technology.

A concerned retired general says: “I think the combination of Rumsfeld and the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, an Air Force man, is a dangerous mix. I'm sure Myers is a superb combat pilot, but that doesn't qualify him for influencing a ground campaign. And there's never been a war won by air alone. Sure, it sets the conditions for final victory, but until you get the troops on the ground to do the dirty, dangerous work, you can never achieve victory. The final truth is that our soldiers and Marines and airman always have to take our plans and make them work.”

During the Vietnam War, our leadership managed to violate all nine Principles of War. In Iraq, as in Vietnam, we have control of the air but don't have Initiative on the ground, Mass, Surprise, etc. And most of the top brass support Rumsfeld's scary impersonation of former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara by agreeing that victory is just around the next guerrilla-ambush corner.

Talk about denial. Last week, Operations Chief Maj. Gen. Victor Renuart, holding court at Central Command's prime-time version of the Spinners Club, said a car-bomb attack that killed four soldiers came from “an organization that's getting desperate” and not playing by the rules. Big surprise!

George W. Bush needs to immediately reassess his war plan, bring in more combat troops, heed the advice of his fighting generals on the ground rather than his team of mainly chicken-hawk advisers and immediately readjust his tactics. He needs to get real and apply the lessons learned from the Russians in Chechnya and the Israelis in Lebanon – and to understand what went wrong in Vietnam.

Hopefully then, he won't make the mistake of another Texas president who didn't sack his SecDef and Joint Chiefs chairman straight away for their screw-ups – an error so egregious it cost our country almost 60,000 American lives and LBJ his presidency.

[PhiKapMom]

Yesterday McCaffrey backed way off and was praising General Myers and General Franks like crazy. Called General Myers the absolute best General for the job of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

Do believe General Myers hit home at least with him. It was so funny to watch him backtrack!

[woofie]

Hackworth made one classic mistake...he opened his mouth

[PISANO]

I am really disappointed in the Colonel. He was a helluva soldier, but it seems his time has passed. I really don't understand him, he was spot on about the harm the Clinton administration was doing to the troops. It seems as though he can't let go of the constant criticism of the CIVILIAN LED Military. What really is hard to understand is that when GW picked his VP and SecDef and SOS, he said how much he admired them. Confusing as hell.

[Busywhiskers]

Hackworth is as wrong as all those retired generals that have been whining about the impending doom of our forces. They have no credibility left and ought to just shut their pie holes.

[PJ-Comix]

I originally read this Hackworth article earlier today in my local newspaper. Meanwhile, the nearby radio was giving reports about Coalition Troops capturing Saddam International Airport and how the Iraqi forces were quickly collapsing. It gave me a lot of chuckles at the time at the amazingly POOR TIMING of this idiotic article.

[ambrose]

Hackworth had a nuclear meltdown on the Hugh Hewitt show the other day.

Keep in mind that Hackworth was predicting Doom 'n Gloom prior to Gulf War I.

He's a Vietnam Veteran who views every new conflict through the lens of what happened during 'Nam...

[NavyCaptain]

Well, Hack has just become another hack!

[Beck_isright]

Notice how "Hack" has been disinvited from Fox and the radio programs lately. He's down to going on CNN for face time. That pretty much is an indication your career as a "military expert" is over.

V

[EaglesUpForever]

Yes, I know he was an honorable soldier, but nowdays, he seems a fruitcake.

He was simply never cut out for anything but being a soldier. He's particularly bad as an armchair general, hopefully his inane commentary on this war will kick him out of the public eye forever.

[Conservababe]

Hack has consistently been wrong about our capabilities since Mogadishu. I wonder if that didn't hit him as hard as it did Les Aspin?

Les Aspin was hit hard by the losses? That is news to me.

[The KG9 Kid]

The more Hackworth speaks, the more I'm convinced that he really was DITHF.

[mc10]

up till a coupla or so years ago, I enjoyed admiring this former hero. But, he has been wrong much more than he has been right. He has turned into a self promoting opportunist and I unfortunately have no admiration left for him. Awfully sad because we didn't have enuf heroes before this apparent success at liberation of a fine Iraqi people. This article will hopefully shut him up and get him out of the public eye or he is gonna end up being a genuine laughing stock. Bye Hack. I'm gonna miss you!

[Milwaukee_Guy]

What on earth did Rumsfeld ever do to Hackworth? Take his parking spot? Cheat at poker? Flip him off in traffic? Forget to return a power tool?

What!?

I'm not the biggest Rumsfeld fan myself, but give Rumsfeld credit where credit is due.

[Polybius]

This war will remove Col. Hackworth as a credible source of current military strategy and techniques forever....

Hack is not credible to those who seriously study modern war but Hack will continue to be a favorite on the TV talking head circuit.

Hack predicted disaster in Gulf War One and Hack predicted disater in Afghanistan. Yet, when the TV talking heads want a Gloom and Doom guest (which is before and during every war), Hack is the first guy they call.

[sirchtruth]

He's a Vietnam Veteran who views every new conflict through the lens of what happened during 'Nam...

Spot On!

[Servant of the Nine]

Les Aspin was hit hard by the losses? That is news to me.

He dropped dead of a heart attack at 55. I think it was guilt that did it.

So9

[Stopislamnow]

Hackworth and all these MORONS need to get a fkking CLUE.

WE KILLED 1500+ and lost 19 in Mogadishu, AND we completed the days mission to boot, we snatched who needed snatched.

Since when is such a lopsided victory a defeat to a so called military man like Hackworth(less)?

We lost politically, Clinton wussed out. HE denied us armor and a spookiebird. Setting us up for personnel losses.

Whatever Somalia was, it wasn't a defeat for the soldiers.

[mc10]

McCaffrey has become a joke. I never liked the arrogant bast***. I hope that we have seen the last of this guy!

[mc10]

McCaffrey has become a joke. I never liked the arrogant bast***. I hope that we have seen the last of this guy!

[dead]

This article is sooooooo March 31st.