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 Coping
with the 9.11.01 Aftermath
The War
Dr. Tony Kern, Lt Col, USAF (Ret)
Former Director of Military History, USAF Academy
14 September, 2001
Dear friends and fellow Americans
Like everyone else in this great country, I am reeling from last week's
attack on our sovereignty. But unlike some, I am not reeling from surprise.
As a career soldier and a student and teacher of military history, I have a
different perspective and I think you should hear it. This war will be won or
lost by the American citizens, not diplomats, politicians or soldiers.
Let me briefly explain.
In spite of what the media, and even our own government is telling us, this
act was not committed by a group of mentally deranged fanatics. To dismiss them
as such would be among the gravest of mistakes. This attack was committed by a
ferocious, intelligent and dedicated adversary. Don't take this the wrong way. I
don't admire these men and I deplore their tactics, but I respect their
capabilities. The many parallels that have been made with the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor are apropos. Not only because it was a brilliant sneak attack
against a complacent America; but, also because we may well be pulling our new
adversaries out of caves 30 years after we think this war is over - just like my
father's generation had to do with theformidable Japanese in the years following
WW II.
These men hate the United States with all of their being, and we must Not
underestimate the power of their moral commitment. Napoleon, perhaps the world's
greatest combination of soldier and statesman, stated "the moral is to the
physical as three is to one." Patton thought the Frenchman underestimated
its importance and said moral conviction was five times more important in battle
than physical strength. Our enemies are willing -- better said anxious -- to
give their lives for their cause. How committed are we America? And for how
long?
In addition to demonstrating great moral conviction, the recent attack
demonstrated a mastery of some of the basic fundamentals of warfare taught to
most military officers worldwide, namely simplicity, security and surprise. When
I first heard rumors that some of these men may have been trained at our own Air
War College, it made perfect sense to me. This was not a random act of violence,
and we can expect the same sort of military competence to be displayed in the
battle to come. This war will escalate, with a good portion of it happening
right here in the good ol' U.S. of A. These men will not go easily into the
night. They do not fear us. We must not fear them.
In spite of our overwhelming conventional strength as the world's only
"superpower" (a truly silly term), we are the underdog in this fight.
As you listen to the carefully scripted rhetoric designed to prepare us for the
march for war, please realize that America is not equipped or seriously trained
for the battle ahead. To be certain, our soldiers are much better than the
enemy, and we have some excellent "counter-terrorist" organizations,
but they are mostly trained for hostage rescues, airfield seizures, or the
occasional "body snatch," (which may come in handy). We will be
fighting a war of annihilation, because if their early efforts are any
indication, our enemy is ready and willing to die to the last man.
Eradicating the enemy will be costly and time consuming. They have Already
deployed their forces in as many as 20 countries, and are likely living the
lives of everyday citizens. Simply put, our soldiers will be tasked with a
search and destroy mission on multiple foreign landscapes, and the public must
be patient and supportive until the strategy and tactics can be worked out.
For the most part, our military is still in the process of redefining itself
and presided over by men and women who grew up with - and were promoted because
they excelled in - Cold War doctrine, strategy and tactics. This will not be
linear warfare, there will be no clear "centers of gravity" to strike
with high technology weapons. Our vast technological edge will certainly be
helpful, but it will not be decisive. Perhaps the perfect metaphor for the
coming battle was introduced by the terrorists themselves aboard the hijacked
aircraft-this will be a knife fight, and it will be won or lost by the ingenuity
and will of citizens and soldiers, not by software or smart bombs. We must also
be patient with our military leaders.
Unlike Americans who are eager to put this messy time behind us, our
adversaries have time on their side, and they will use it. They plan to fight a
battle of attrition, hoping to drag the battle out until the American public
loses its will to fight. This might be difficult to believe in this euphoric
time of flag waving and patriotism, but it is generally acknowledged that
America lacks the stomach for a long fight. We need only look as far back as
Vietnam, when North Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap (also a military history
teacher) defeated the United States of America without ever winning a major
tactical battle. American soldiers who marched to war cheered on by flag waving
Americans in 1965 were reviled and spat upon less than three years later when
they returned. Although we hope that Osama Bin Laden is no Giap, he is certain
to understand and employ the concept. We can expect not only large doses of pain
like the recent attacks, but also less audacious "sand in the gears"
tactics, ranging from livestock infestations to attacks at water supplies and
power distribution facilities. These attacks are designed to hit us in our
"comfort zone" forcing the average American to "pay more and play
less" and eventually eroding our resolve. But it can only work if we let
it.
It is clear to me that the will of the American citizenry - you and I - Is
the center of gravity the enemy has targeted. It will be the fulcrum upon which
victory or defeat will turn. He believes us to be soft, impatient, and
self-centered. He may be right, but if so, we must change.
The Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz, (the most often quoted and least
read military theorist in history), says that there is a "remarkable
trinity of war" that is composed of the (1)will of the people, (2)the
political leadership of the government, and (3)the chance and probability that
plays out on the field of battle, in that order. Every American citizen was in
the crosshairs of last Tuesday's attack, not just those that were unfortunate
enough to be in the World Trade Center or Pentagon. The will of the American
people will decide this war. If we are to win, it will be because we have what
it takes to persevere through a few more hits, learn from our mistakes,
improvise, and adapt. If we can do that, we will eventually prevail.
Everyone I've talked to In the past few days has shared a common frustration,
saying in one form or another "I just wish I could do something!" You
are already doing it. Just keep faith in America, and continue to support your
President and military, and the outcome is certain.
If we fail to do so, the outcome is equally certain.
God Bless America
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