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WAR: The Only Way to Win

posted September 4, 2006 - 6:45pm
WAR: The Only Way to Win

After a few years of our war in Iraq, I recently began to think about our new "compassionate war" strategy. I'm not sure that such a strategy can work, especially with the type of enemies we are facing. They gain courage when we appear weak, and exude solidarity when we are divided. Compassion is perceived as a weakness and generally speaking, extreme force is the only action they respect. Our current policies and restrictive nature as the lone superpower does not command respect from our allies or strike fear into our enemies. I feel it may be the time to reconsider our tactics.

Throughout history, wars have been fought for a myriad of reasons by most of the world's nations, with many nations going to battle a multitude of times. For the most part, it is never preferred over times of peace. Most sane leaders of sovereign nations would rather enjoy times of peace and prosperity and see that their citizens alike are content and prosperous. Sometimes they are confronted with the threat of armed conflict and must act in order to ensure their country's lasting fortunes and livelihood. The threat can come in many different forms and each has a correlative response.

War is not the worst thing that can happen. Years of intimidation and coercion can wear down a nation's will and can eventually lead to the submission and demise of a once flourishing state. Several generations of tyranny, where populations endure psychological and physical suffering, miseducation (or no education at all), and a constant fear of execution and actual murder itself, is far worse and more threatening to the world and our way of life than one decade, or even generation of war. The destructive forces from years of despotism are far greater than any destruction from a bomb.

There is no such thing as a compassionate war and they should not, and cannot be fought in that manner. Individuals can feel compassion, but the strategies of armed conflict cannot be based on it unless your objective is to lose. War is not romantic, sexy, or glamorous, as it is often portrayed in theatrics. It's bleak, destructive, sordid, extremely perilous, and painful to many. Whichever party can stare death in the face, smile, and overcome it, will have the upperhand. You cannot show weakness or division among your ranks and you cannot cower when confronted.

Niccolo Machiavelli, through his writings in The Prince, suggested that treaties with your enemy do not prevent war, they simply delay it.

If you know your enemy's intentions, and if those intentions threaten the well being of you or your allies, you must act immediately to prevent fortifications and any build up of power or alliances. When the command to go to war is executed, you must strike hard and strike fast with overwhelming force until the opposing army and state no longer has the will to fight. Tit-for-tat battles will get you nowhere. Complete domination of the opposing force must be the primary objective. When fighting a war, there is no such thing as disproportionate force. The object is to win, and to win quickly and thoroughly.

Civilian casualties during war is no new phenomenon. No war has ever been fought where civilian deaths amounted to zero. Wars are fought between nations and societies, not just armies. Proxy armies may be used, but there is always a nation that funds or supports their actions. Changing strategies of suppressing your enemy, especially at a critical moment when they are vulnerable, simply to avoid civilian casualties is a grave mistake. Wars cannot be fought by civilian death count. It simply shows the enemy, especially the enemy we face today which hides behind them, that you are not willing to do whatever it takes to be victorious. If your primary goal is to avoid civilian deaths in order to win over the hearts of potential future allies, you will not win.

War is not always necessary, and sometimes it can be, and has been avoided. However, once the decision is made to fight, you must be resolute and willing to go full throttle at all times. If you have the means to be swift and annihilative, you should not limit your capabilities with benevolent objectives. Compassion can come after victory. Before that time, it will only be ruinous.



Comments

you guys...

You huys are out of your f@#$% minds with this war stuff give me a F@#$% break people. Milan Grbic

Milan Grbic

Great reading.

Great reading, to bad many will take it the wrong way. Peace is usually derived from strength. Something that is not mentioned to often anymore, Chamberlin from Great Britain, tried talking and signing treaties with Germany, before WW2. The rest is history.

war

excellent article full on truth!!!

I disagree with one part of your story....

...were you say that spearing lives of inosent women and childern will loose the war for you, you are wrong brother. Even if some muslim killed the jesus long time ago and god knows if that's true or not. He would still go into they villiage and give them bread and water in order to unite people. And that my frineds is called MERCY. the only way to stop the war. If they don't want you help then leave idiots alone and mind your own business and teritory before we unite that soon to, them f..@#$%&* borders. Somebody said them borders of each counrty of this world will go down but the people first need to read some book of Bonton and how to cooperate with each other. Milan Grbic

Milan Grbic

War

I know I got in on this a little late. I think I gave it a 9 back then, but got sidetracked and forgot to comment. Better late than never though!! Excellent article Pub!! Should be published!!

Shock. And. Awe. Oh. Boy.

Shock. And. Awe. Oh. Boy.

Antonia Dwells

Publius, thank you for your responce but I was'nt commenting....

on your piece. Actualy it was Ivar Tabrizi that I responded to below yours and just mistakenly placed it. However as you made some interesting comments I'd like to adress one issue. That is civilian casualties. I could'nt agree with you more Publius on the very nature of war. I believe it should be avoided at all costs but when it comes down to it as being the last resort it should be fought all out, takeing no quarter. That being said, we have developed into such an advanced society, militarily as well that what we have now is a version of that belief that we should win at all costs. Call it shock and awe light. That version was good enough to win the war. We won it ! We took over a country and spared its civilians and intrastructure. Now it is the peace we must win and that must be done as in Korea, turning over the task to Iraq while we maintain a long presence in the region. We are'nt going anywhere. This is a 21st century reality. My only hope Publius is that if it ever came down to a war which threatened our very existance that we would fight it with all the abandonment and ruthlessness necessary to justify the true meaning of war. When McArthur was stopped in Korea from putting the Chinese in their rightful place, the very nature of war was changed forever. Vietnam was the biggest casualty of this new kind of policy. Of course, with nuclear weapons, it was inevitable that war be recalculated. Now we need to come back more to the middle and strike a proper balance and apply it to each wartime situation.

anthony b

I'm not questioning Bush's

I'm not questioning Bush's motivations for the wars. I think it is very necessary to do what he is doing. I'm not playing "Monday morning quarterback" either. We do need to bring the fight to the enemy, but it needs to be done in a way that will make them reconsider resisting. His intentions to avoid civilian casualties were admirable, however, they are not effective in this war we are fighting.

LOL! I was attempting to be

LOL! I was attempting to be kind. I struggle with tact. lol

suntzu

We tried suntzu's way for years. We supported Saddam and Isreal has always been our point man. It's time to do it ourselves with our closest friend the UK. The above written by myself was actualy a responce to this letter. Being new I misplaced it in order.

anthony b

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