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Received via Email from military connection.

From: Lt. Gen. Robert Kelley (USAF, ret.)
> 14 September 2001
>
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 the formidable 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, "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" oganizations, 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 but, 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 acknowledge 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 Usama 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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General Kelley is obviously well qualified to speak about what will be required of us. But I believe that in addition to the horror of Sept. 11 we will continue to suffer enough from the ongoing injury to the world economy that complacency will not develop either here or abroad. I think the enemy made a serious error in making such a large scale attack, and would have done better to confine themselves to a long series of small attacks less likely to energize us to fight back with far less international support.


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Wow, that was one of the most balanced and well-put speeches I've read or heard on the subject. I bet the guy never gets promoted again!

His commentary was well-balanced and sensible - whether or not he's right or wrong, and who am I to argue with him.

Bill, I suspect the complacency is already creeping back in. There seems to be an element of "well, that's all over" coming through in American and other international commentary. The general public will probably take its tone from that. And when people fully realise that there is no quick and easy solution to the problem, a la the Gulf War, it'll quietly get pushed into the background by other, more pressing, concerns. Like dropping oil prices resulting in decreased petrol prices, something which seems to exercise all of our minds these days ...



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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There is a difference between complacency meaning back to carefree hedonism and a settled down back to business atttitude with the flag put away. There are young people volunteering for enlistment. I do not expect to hear "Hell, no, we won't go!" as in the sixties.


#43195 09/27/01 01:47 PM
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#43196 09/27/01 04:04 PM
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Nice article, tsuwm. Yet, he is clearly collecting anyone that is to the left (of whatever he is comparing to) into a group of like "resoned" individuals as well as creating/perpetuating old/foolish sterotypes. Every instance attributed to a "left position" was clearly "standing over there... on the right side... right next to the *right".


#43197 09/27/01 08:09 PM
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Thanks for the very interesting link.


#43198 09/28/01 01:00 AM
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There are lots of reasons "why". Whatever bin Laden's motives, many people who celebrated the attacks will have done so based on their own views and experiences. Hate is rarely a "reasonable" emotion, after all, is it?



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
#43199 09/28/01 01:59 PM
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I bet the guy never gets promoted again!

No worries, CapK.
Kelley is retired.


#43200 09/28/01 05:24 PM
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>Kelley is retired.

What a coincidence. My car was retired with Kelleys.



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