Winding down the war...

[tmleadr03]

I miss the days when we just won them...

[ChunkyMonkey]

That would be racist! We shall wind down and apologize!

[CrufflerSteve]

I'm not that old. My dear departed Dad was a WWII veteran. I think it's a reach to regard Grenada or Panama as victories. Too many of our recent wars fit into the WTF were they thinking?​ category. Either for why we went in in the first place or how we did it.

[brokenscout]

We haven't "Won" a war a awhile

[Fmedges]

I miss the days when they had the balls to call it the war department. None of this dept of defense shit. Firebombing Japan? Sure go for it.

[Monky]

We haven't been in a war for a while.. In war your goal is to destroy your opponent. Sun Tzu would be sick at what we call war now.

[Ronin13]

We haven't been in a war for a while.. In war your goal is to destroy your opponent. Sun Tzu would be sick at what we call war now.
I agree... to add, Clausewitz would be too! I read both Sun Tzu and Clausewitz before/during my deployment, and man, we weren't even fighting the way we should. "Wars should be fought by the soldiers and marines, commanded by the field grade officers, and managed by the generals. The moment a bureaucrat or politician enters into the business of war it has ceased to be winnable." -Unknown.

[airborneranger]

I agree... to add, Clausewitz would be too! I read both Sun Tzu and Clausewitz before/during my deployment, and man, we weren't even fighting the way we should. "Wars should be fought by the soldiers and marines, commanded by the field grade officers, and managed by the generals. The moment a bureaucrat or politician enters into the business of war it has ceased to be winnable." -Unknown.

If you like Clausewitz: war is an extension of politics.

Sometimes, they aren't meant to be won.

[Ashton]

I miss the days when we just won them...

Should have just bombed them.

[Kraven251]

I was always a fan of Machiavelli:


If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.

[Blockhead]

I agree... to add, Clausewitz would be too! I read both Sun Tzu and Clausewitz before/during my deployment, and man, we weren't even fighting the way we should. "Wars should be fought by the soldiers and marines, commanded by the field grade officers, and managed by the generals. The moment a bureaucrat or politician enters into the business of war it has ceased to be winnable." -Unknown.

So you disagree with the US constitution?

[Ronin13]

So you disagree with the US constitution?
Oh is that reference to my quote? It was written long before the constitution IIRC... And no, I don't, congress declares war, the president issues the order, but from then on it should be left in the hands of those who's job is waging war (IE: the military).

[Blockhead]

Oh is that reference to my quote? It was written long before the constitution IIRC... And no, I don't, congress declares war, the president issues the order, but from then on it should be left in the hands of those who's job is waging war (IE: the military).

And if you read Clauzewitz, you didn't understand one of his key tenents (as already mentioned by another forum member above): "War is simply the continuation of political intercourse." Politics ergo politicians. Sucks sometimes to have mealy-mouthed spinless politicians calling the shots, but I prefer it that way than to live in a military dictatorship.