Having spent three precious months deliberating over his forward commander’s request for forces, the CINC wants the military to make up for it:
President Obama has decided to expedite the deployment of 30,000 additional American troops to Afghanistan over the next six months, in an effort to reverse the momentum of Taliban gains and create urgency for the government in Kabul to match the American surge with one using its own forces, according to senior administration officials.
In bringing the total American force to nearly 100,000 troops by the end of May, the administration will move far faster than it had originally planned.
Two questions:
- There was an original plan?
- Who do you think will bear the brunt of the abbreviated training cycle?
In an alternate universe, a commander-in-chief would have hand-selected a general to execute his policy. That general would have asked penetrating questions about what mission his forces were expected to accomplish and evaluated his current forces against the stated policy end state. Having found any mismatch in manpower or material versus the mission, he would have sent home a strategic request for additional forces, to which his chain of command – having chosen him for the job – would have rapidly responded, demonstrating confidence in their man and the mission.
Forces would have been manned, trained and equipped before being sent forward in deliberate fashion to be ready for the beginning of the spring campaign.
Man, train, equip. I guess two out of three ain’t bad.
Depending, of course, upon where you sit.
Of course there was an original plan. I’m sure we will hear about it in 2012. I think it is called “Blame Bush.”
Kind of like Nixons 1968 “Secret Plan To End The War In Viet Nam.” Well, that was so secret that he was able to use the same plan in his 1972 campaign.
Joe, you are SO cynical. How can you POSSIBLY believe such stuff? Shame on you….We’re gonna have to drum you out of the Jr. Woodchucks..
Hmmm. Man, train, equip, Obama style.
Kind of like ready, fire, aim? And you don’t even have to be a cowboy!
Last heard saying, “We’ll take it reeeal sloww here, pardner.”
Captain Lex,
“Who do you think will bear the brunt of the abbreviated training cycle?”
The brigade I belong to was scheduled to deploy to Iraq, and then those orders were cancelled some time ago. We have no orders right now, and of course it would be irresponsible of me to assume that we’ll be among the surge brigades, but you can do the math, sir.
At least in our case, we went through a full training cycle, then trained some more as the time between orders permitted. I might wish that that training cycle had been geared more toward Afghanistan than Iraq (different kind of fight in so many respects), but we’re trained. Can’t speak for the other brigades, of course.
JPS, if I haven’t done so before, let me now please thank you for having given up your post within the ivied walls of the academy and taking up the colors. You didn’t have to, no one would have questioned you had you not.
It is a great, bold thing you have done, in the best traditions of the Republic. You have my deepest respect and gratitude.
Good luck, and good hunting.
Thank you, sir, very much.
Many years passed between my deciding I really ought to serve someday, and actually coming into the military. Enough time for a fulfilling, and reasonably complete (if abbreviated) first career.
Through all that time, you were flying jets off ships. So your comment means all the more to me; I thank you, and salute you.
The question is not so much “There was an original plan?” in regards to the surge but whether there has been any plan since the end of the initial phases of OEF around the end of 2002. Perhaps if we had a clearly idea why we are there, we might have a clearer idea what to do…?
SJPONeil, you ask if there has been any plan because “if we had a clearly idea why we are there, we might have a clearer idea what to do.” Which sort of boils down to you don’t know why and thus can’t determine if what we’re doing is proper.
Back in WW2 we had those “Why We Fight” movies shown as previews and newsreels at every movie house in the nation. Today, between Obama, Biden, and every other congressman not to mention a media with their own agenda there is no fundamental message for the war effort, no single over-riding cause we’re fighting for.
It’s interesting to note that Korea, Vietnam, and now Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from the same lack of goal. My question is, is that a problem with the war or is that a problem with advertising the war to the electorate?
Serious question.
– Max
So,Lex, what’s your best guess… did they have orders or were they just planning ahead?
They had at least a warning order, in my view.
Lex, I think you know where we live in Hanford,[pond]?
Lotta pilots live here. Lotta dusty cars. Real quiet at sundown, no landing traffic.