Memo for the President-Elect

[Bottomfeeder 244]

10-18-2004

Memo for the President-Elect

By David H. Hackworth

Since our commander-in-chief announced �mission accomplished� on May 1, 2003, the insurgents have seized the initiative in Iraq. And we�re also not winning the even-more-consequential worldwide battle against the Islamic jihadists. All because our forces are trying to do too much with too little the wrong way.

Lately, I�ve been shoveling through literally truckloads of reader queries along the lines of �OK, Hack, you spent most of the past two years griping, so what�s your solution?� It�s a question that needs an answer. So, as a long-term student of insurgent warfare and a soldier who�s fought guerrillas in post-World-War-II Italy, during the Korean War and for more than four years in Vietnam, here�s what I would do:

           

* Immediately fire SecDef Donald Rumsfeld, all of his Pentagon senior civilian assistants and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers.

           

* Replace Rumsfeld with retired Gen. Anthony Zinni and give this tough, smart, proven leader a free hand to bring in the best people to reshape and streamline our armed forces for the long counterinsurgency fight ahead.

           

* Fire National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and replace her with retired Gens. Wes Clark or John Sheehan.

           

* Establish a military objective � an often-neglected Principle of War � that will include: how the U.S. is going to regain the lost initiative (another neglected Principle of War) and how we�re going to take and hold the turf seized by insurgents; how we will then win the Iraqi people to our side in the fight against the insurgents; how the nascent Iraqi defense shield will eventually replace our forces; and a detailed, coherent exit plan.

           

* Force our coalition partners in Iraq to either move out of the safety of their forts and start participating in the campaign or go home. So far, they�ve added little to the fight except providing an opportunity for politicos to crow about the unity of a coalition in which we�re doing almost all the heavy lifting.

           

* Replace our conventional-thinking generals in Iraq and in other hot spots with leaders � preferably Special Forces � who understand the nature of insurgency, and leave them in place until we execute our exit plan.

           

* Double and then triple the size of our forces in Afghanistan � or we�ll soon be following in the Soviets� loser boot-steps. This is one of the main events in our global fight with insurgents and should receive top priority.

           

* Establish a comprehensive course on counterinsurgency warfare that every commander from lieutenant to general would be required to pass, culminating in a butt-busting final exam certifying that graduates have qualified for counterinsurgency warfare at their particular level. A fail would mean immediate discharge.

           

* Toughen boot-camp standards for all soldiers and make them as realistic, demanding and disciplined as those sweated through by past generations. Then maintain this level throughout the regular and Reserve forces.

           

* Merge the Army National Guard and Reserve forces into one formation modeled after the Marine Corps Reserves but configured for the post-Cold War fight against international insurgency.

           

* Provide the states with limited funds to establish a light infantry/military police/state militia force for emergencies such as fires and storms, and for Homeland Defense missions.

           

* Reorganize the Army from A to Z, starting with doubling the size of Special Ops Forces and maneuver units, gutting the Cold War stuff and adding more civil-affairs, psych-war and military-police units. Deep-six the folks who excel in PowerPoint briefings but add nothing to the critical missions at hand, beginning with the pernicious, pervasive Pentagon blubber and working down to brigade level.

           

* Overhaul the Army�s antique personnel system, which has fostered the current corrosive corporate general officer system that�s made many officers and senior NCOs careerists rather than two-fisted leaders. Use Maj. Donald Vandergriff�s book, The Path to Victory, as a primer for this desperately needed reform.

           

* Reduce or scrap most of the multibillion-dollar porker programs such as Star Wars II, and spike orders for platinum-plated Cold War II ships and aircraft. Then use the funds to arm and equip our warriors appropriately.

           

* Make every military leader from buck sergeant to four-star memorize Sun Tzu�s The Art of War, and Imperial Hubris, by �Anonymous.�

           

That�s, of course, for openers .�

           

--Eilhys England contributed to this column.

Col. David H. Hackworth (USA Ret.) is SFTT.org co-founder and Senior Military Columnist for DefenseWatch magazine. For information on his many books, go to his home page at Hackworth.com, where you can sign in for his free weekly Defending America. Send mail to P.O. Box 11179, Greenwich, CT 06831. His newest book is �Steel My Soldiers� Hearts.�  � 2004 David H. Hackworth. Please send Feedback responses to dwfeedback@yahoo.com.

"Hack" is no longer with us. RIP.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

* Immediately fire SecDef Donald Rumsfeld, all of his Pentagon senior civilian assistants and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers. Myers is retired, Pace is in charge now. Changing SECDEF didn't work in 'Nam, and it won't work here. The best thing we can do is to let the military fight this war and not be second guessed by handwringers.

* Replace Rumsfeld with retired Gen. Anthony Zinni and give this tough, smart, proven leader a free hand to bring in the best people to reshape and streamline our armed forces for the long counterinsurgency fight ahead. Why not give the people over there now a free hand to do what has to be done to quell the insurgency?

* Fire National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and replace her with retired Gens. Wes Clark or John Sheehan. Why? Wesley Clark is the biggest fraud to ever wear the uniform. He was pretty much fired from his post at EUCOM. I served with him, he's incompetent. Who the hell is John Sheehan?

* Establish a military objective an often-neglected Principle of War that will include: how the U.S. is going to regain the lost initiative (another neglected Principle of War) and how we're going to take and hold the turf seized by insurgents; how we will then win the Iraqi people to our side in the fight against the insurgents; how the nascent Iraqi defense shield will eventually replace our forces; and a detailed, coherent exit plan. The military objective has been met...Iraq's military was defeated. The only way to regain the "lost initiative" is to overcome the fear and stigmatism of killing people that deserve to be killed, without fear having to justify every dead insurgent to some hippy journalist. You don't fight wars with sissy gloves on and if you don't have the stomach to fight the necessary fight, go cower in the corner and let those that do have the guts get it done. The exit plan will be WE WILL LEAVE WHEN THE JOB IS DONE.

* Force our coalition partners in Iraq to either move out of the safety of their forts and start participating in the campaign or go home. So far, they've added little to the fight except providing an opportunity for politicos to crow about the unity of a coalition in which we're doing almost all the heavy lifting.  Isn't this the way it's always been? The cemeteries scattered all over Europe aren't filled with "their" boys.

* Replace our conventional-thinking generals in Iraq and in other hot spots with leaders � preferably Special Forces � who understand the nature of insurgency, and leave them in place until we execute our exit plan. You're half right here. You give the squad commanders in the field full reign over their AO. You let them do what they are trained to do.

* Double and then triple the size of our forces in Afghanistan � or we�ll soon be following in the Soviets� loser boot-steps. This is one of the main events in our global fight with insurgents and should receive top priority. Once again, kick the European "parade marchers" out and let real fighters in to handle it.

* Establish a comprehensive course on counterinsurgency warfare that every commander from lieutenant to general would be required to pass, culminating in a butt-busting final exam certifying that graduates have qualified for counterinsurgency warfare at their particular level. A fail would mean immediate discharge. This is stupid. Insurgent tactics change every minute. Give the on scene commander full reign to rid the area of insurgents as he deems necessary.

* Toughen boot-camp standards for all soldiers and make them as realistic, demanding and disciplined as those sweated through by past generations. Then maintain this level throughout the regular and Reserve forces. Can't do this when PC thugs are more concerned with inclusiveness than discipline.

* Merge the Army National Guard and Reserve forces into one formation modeled after the Marine Corps Reserves but configured for the post-Cold War fight against international insurgency. Why not have a rapidly deployable force ready to combat whatever enemy we're facing? Part of the problem we faced in the beginning of this conflict was having to overcome antiquated Cold War doctrine and tactics.

* Provide the states with limited funds to establish a light infantry/military police/state militia force for emergencies such as fires and storms, and for Homeland Defense missions. Isn't this the National Guard?

* Reorganize the Army from A to Z, starting with doubling the size of Special Ops Forces and maneuver units, gutting the Cold War stuff and adding more civil-affairs, psych-war and military-police units. Deep-six the folks who excel in PowerPoint briefings but add nothing to the critical missions at hand, beginning with the pernicious, pervasive Pentagon blubber and working down to brigade level. I agree. The manning at the Pentagon level should be reduced by at least 2/3. Bureaucracy at its worst.

* Overhaul the Army�s antique personnel system, which has fostered the current corrosive corporate general officer system that�s made many officers and senior NCOs careerists rather than two-fisted leaders. Use Maj. Donald Vandergriff�s book, The Path to Victory, as a primer for this desperately needed reform. Promote the best person available. Lincoln did it during the Civil War, we should do it now.

* Reduce or scrap most of the multibillion-dollar porker programs such as Star Wars II, and spike orders for platinum-plated Cold War II ships and aircraft. Then use the funds to arm and equip our warriors appropriately. We should scrap our military. The Chinese are just 10-15 years away. Believe me, we are going to need every ship and plane available for that one.

* Make every military leader from buck sergeant to four-star memorize Sun Tzu�s The Art of War, and Imperial Hubris, by �Anonymous.� No, we should put a soldier on the battlefield that knows his country is behind him and will not sell him out for political gain.

           

That�s, of course, for openers .� The opener in the TiS administration would be to kick the journalists out of the warzone.

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[AURaptor 1,125]

Why post this today, I wonder. Col David Hackworth passed away over a year ago, and I find it hard to believe that 'Hack' would ever pen such a piece. My memory of Col Hackworth is a REAL straight shooter, and not one afraid to hold back in his opinion. But this post doesn't quite sound like him at all. I suspect he may have had some 'help' in the form of certain parts of this letter being penned by Eilhys England w/ out the consent or aproval of Hack.

Condi Rice isn't the NSA any longer, but now is Sec State.

Guess you didn't hear about the terrorist plot uncovered in Toronto, huh? And then there's another plot which was discovered in London, I believe, which was going to use Sarin Gas. Those are the one's we've been TOLD about. We've not had any more attacks in the US under Bush.

[Bottomfeeder 244]

http://www.hackworth.com/archive.html

[AURaptor 1,125]

http://www.hackworth.com/archive.html

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I must admit, I only know of Hack from what I saw of him on FOX News. I liked his enthusiasm, his 'off the reservation' attitude, and his unapologetic love for the military. But many of the turf wars which occur w/ in our military shouldn't be confused w/ issues which are more far reaching, such as national politics. It's politics, of course, but more of a family thing. The US Military family. Disputes over what works, what doesn't work, why and what should be done about it have always and likely will always be with us, and the military isn't spared either.

[TexasTiger 12,962]

Why post this today, I wonder. Col David Hackworth passed away over a year ago, and  I  find it hard to believe that 'Hack' would ever pen such a piece. My memory of Col Hackworth is a REAL straight shooter, and not one afraid to hold back in his opinion.  But this post doesn't quite sound like him at all. I suspect he may have had some 'help' in the form of certain parts of this letter being penned by Eilhys England w/ out the consent or aproval of Hack.

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