: War is ugly--Afghan War
Worse ala R.Kidd (West Point
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From: "George W Kenning Jr", INTERNET:gkenning@compuserve.com
To: "Rosa", KATEALEXANDER
"John McHale", jmchale5
Date: 9/29/101 3:08 PM
RE: Fw: War is ugly--Afghan War Worse ala R.Kidd (West Point)
----- Original Message -----
From: "PGP_JCP"
<PGP_JCP@compuserve.com>
To: "Paige Gordon"
<gordonp@pcci.com>; "Milt Bearden"
<milt.bearden@home.com>;
"Jim Campbell" <jec7002@aol.com>; "Jack McNealy"
<jmcnealy@juno.com>;
"Holger JENSEN" <hjens@aol.com>; "George W Kenning"
<GKenning@compuserve.com>;
"Karl -ACC" <Karl@accusa.com>
Sent: Friday, September 28,
2001 8:29 PM
Subject: War is ugly--Afghan
War Worse ala R.Kidd (West Point)
>
> Message text written by
Paige Gordon
> >Sender:
gordonp@pcci.com
> From: Paige Gordon
<gordonp@pcci.com>
> Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2001
17:55:27 -0400
> To:
pgp_jcp@compuserve.com
> Subject: war is ugly
> Pretty tough roe to hoe
- if he is right. I hope we still have
the
stomach
> for it - we used to.
>
> Bill
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: taylor.bob@sfwspac.lemoore.navy.mil
> Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2001 1:11 PM
> Subject: Must read
>
> Wow... This is a rather
long piece, but worth hanging in there. Something
> every American should
read... It's in the NEED-TO-KNOW category. Ahhhh,
> make
> that MUST-KNOW
category. This is a VERY tough read, even disturbing, but
> worth reading for many
> reasons. If anyone
wants to know why we are being so slow to attack, this
> may give you an idea.
For those who have not been to war - the crowds
cheer
> and the bugles blow for
vengence, but when the dogs of war are unleashed
> the
> laws of unintended
consequences take over. We must not fear to do what we
> must, but we must be
very wise in deciding what that is and when to do
it -
> Shep: Don & Ty,
>
> This was written by a
West Point grad to members of his class. He spent a
> lot of time in
Afghanistan and has some very definite ideas about how we
> should address the
challenge over there. Lets hope that someone in the
> Pentagon and State
Dept. factors this into the planning process.
> You might give this a boost into the right
intellectual areas.
>
> Dave Dear Classmates:
Many of you are probably not aware that I was one of
> the last American
citizens to have spent a great deal of time in
> Afghanistan. I was
first there in 1993 providing relief and assistance to
> refugees along the
Tajik border and in this capacity have traveled all
> along the border region
between the two countries. In 1998 and 1999 I was
> the Deputy Program
Manager for the UN's mine action program in
Afghanistan.
> This program is the
largest civilian employer in the country with over
> 5,000 persons clearing
mines and UXO. In this later capacity, I was
> somewhat ironically
engaged in a "Holy War" as decreed by the Taliban,
> against the evil of
land mines, and by a special proclamation of Mullah
> Omar, all those who
might have died in this effort were considered to
> "martyrs"
even an "infidel" like myself.
>
> The mine action program
is the most respected relief effort in the country
> and because of this I
had the opportunity to travel extensively, without
> too much interference
or restriction. I still have extensive contacts in
> the area and among the
Afghan community and read a great deal on the
> subject. I had wanted
to write earlier and share some of my perspectives,
> but quite frankly I
have been a bit too popular in DC this past week and
> have not had time. Dr.
Tony Kern's comments were excellent and I would
like
> to use them as a basis
for sharing some observations.
>
> First, he is absolutely
correct. This war is about will, resolve and
> character. I want to
touch on that later, but first I want to share some
> comments about our
"enemy." Our enemy is not the people of Afghanistan.
The
> country is devastated
beyond what most of us can imagine. The vast
majority
> of the people live
day-to-day, hand to mouth in abject conditions of
> poverty, misery and
deprivation. Less than 30% of the men are literate,
the
> women even less. The
country is exhausted, and desperately wants something
> like peace. They know
very little of the world at large, and have no
access
> to information or knowledge
that would counter what they are being told by
> the Taliban. They have
nothing left, nothing that is except for their
> pride. Who is our
enemy? Well, our enemy is a group of non-Afghans, often
> referred to by the
Afghans as "Arabs" and a fanatical group of religious
> leaders and their
military cohort, the Taliban. The non-Afghan contingent
> came from all over the
Islamic world to fight in the war against the
> Russians. Many came
using a covert network created with assistance by our
> own government.
>
> OBL (as Osama bin Laden
was referred to by us in the country at the time)
> restored this network
to bring in more fighters, this time to support the
> Taliban in their civil
war against the former Mujehdeen. Over time this
> military support along
with financial support has allowed OBL and his
> "Arabs" to
co-opt significant government activities and leaders. OBL is
the
> "inspector
general" of Taliban armed forces, his bodyguards protect senior
> Talib leaders and he
has built a system of deep bunkers for the Taliban,
> which were designed to
withstand cruise missile strikes (uhm, where did he
> learn to do that?). His
forces basically rule the southern city of
> Kandahar. This
high-profile presence of OBL and his "Arabs" has, in the
> last 2 years or so,
started to generate a great deal of resentment on the
> part of the local
Afghans. At the same time the legitimacy of the Taliban
> regime has started to
decrease as it has failed to end the war, as local
> humanitarian conditions
have worsened and as "cultural" restrictions have
> become even harsher. It
is my assessment that most Afghans no longer
> support the Taliban.
Indeed the Taliban have recently had a very difficult
> time getting recruits
for their forces and have had to rely more and more
> on non-Afghans, either
from Pushtun tribes in Pakistan or from OBL.
>
> OBL and the Taliban,
absent any US action were probably on their way to
> sharing the same fate
that all other outsiders and outside doctrines have
> experienced in Afghanistan-defeat
and dismemberment. During the Afghan war
> with the Soviets much
attention was paid to the martial prowess of the
> Afghans. We were all at
West Point at the time and most of us had
> high-minded idealistic
thoughts about how we would all want to go help the
> brave "freedom
fighters" in their struggle against the Soviets. Those
> concepts were naive to
the extreme. The Afghans, while never conquered as
a
> nation, are not
invincible in battle. A "good" Afghan battle is one that
> makes a lot of noise
and light. Basic military skills are rudimentary and
> clouded by cultural
constraints that no matter what, a warrior should
never
> lose his honor. Indeed,
firing from the prone is considered distasteful
> (but still done).
Traditionally, the Afghan order of battle is very feudal
> in nature, with
fighters owing allegiance to a "commander" and this person
> owing allegiance
upwards and so on and so on. Often such allegiance is
> secured by payment. And
while the Taliban forces have changed this
> somewhat, many of the
units in the Taliban army are there because they are
> being paid to be there.
All such groups have very strong loyalties along
> ethnic and tribal
lines. Again, the concept of having a place of "honor"
> and "respect"
is of paramount importance and blood feuds between families
> and tribes can last for
generations over a perceived or actual slight.
That
> is one reason why there
were 7 groups of Mujehdeen fighting the Russians.
> It is a very difficult
task to form and keep united a large bunch of
> Afghans into a military
formation.
>
> The "real"
stories that have come out of the war against the Soviets are
> very enlightening and a
lot different from our fantastic visions as
cadets.
> When the first batch of
Stingers came in and were given to one Mujehdeen
> group, another
group-supposedly on the same side, attacked the first group
> and stole the Stingers,
not so much because they wanted to use them, but
> because having them was
a matter of prestige. Many larger coordinated
> attacks that advisers
tried to conduct failed when all the various Afghan
> fighting groups would
give up their assigned tasks (such as blocking or
> overwatch) and instead
would join the assault group in order to seek
glory.
> In comparison to
Vietnam, the intensity of combat and the rate of
> fatalities were lower
for all involved.
> As you can tell from
above, it is my assessment that these guys are not
> THAT good in a purely
military sense and the "Arabs" probably even less so
> than the Afghans. So
why is it that they have never been conquered? It
goes
> back to Dr. Kern's
point about will. During their history the only events
> that have managed to
form any semblance of unity among the Afghans, is the
> desire to fight foreign
invaders. And in doing this the Afghans have been
> fanatical. The Afghans'
greatest military strength is the ability to
endure
> hardships that would,
in all probability, kill most Americans and enervate
> the resolve of all but
the most elite military units. The physical
> difficulties of
fighting in Afghanistan, the terrain, the weather and the
> harshness are all
weapons that our enemies will use to their advantage and
> use well. (NOTE: For
you military planner types and armchair
> generals--around
November 1st most road movement is impossible, in part
> because all the roads
used by the Russians have been destroyed and air
> movement will be
problematic at best). Also, those fighting us are not
> afraid to fight. OBL
and others do not think the US has the will or the
> stomach for a fight.
Indeed after the absolutely inane missile strikes of
> 1998, the overwhelming
consensus was that we were cowards, who would not
> risk one life in face
to face combat. Rather than demonstrating our might
> and acting as a
deterrent, that action and others of the not so recent
> past, have reinforced
the perception that the US does not have any "will"
> and that were are
morally and spiritually corrupt. Our challenge is to
play
> to the weaknesses of
our enemy, notably their propensity for internal
> struggles, the distrust
between the extremists/Arabs and the majority of
> Afghans, their limited
ability to fight coordinated battles and their lack
> of external support. More
importantly though is that we have to take steps
> not to play to their
strengths, which would be to unite the entire
> population against us
by increasing their suffering or killing innocents,
> to get bogged down
trying to hold terrain, or to get into a battle of
> attrition chasing up
and down mountain valleys. I have been asked how I
> would fight the war.
This is a big question and well beyond my pay grade
or
> expertise. And while I
do not want to second guess current plans or start
> an academic debate I
would share the following from what I know about
> Afghanistan and the
Afghans.
>
> First, I would give the
Northern Alliance a big wad of cash so that they
> can buy off a chunk of
the Taliban army before winter. Second, also with
> this cash I would pay
some guys to kill some of the Taliban leadership
> making it look like an
inside job to spread distrust and build on existing
> discord. Third I would
support the Northern alliance with military assets,
> but not take it over or
adopt so high a profile as to undermine its
> legitimacy in the eyes
of most Afghans. Fourth would be to give massive
> amounts of humanitarian
aid and assistance to the Afghans in Pakistan in
> order to demonstrate
our goodwill and to give these guys a reason to live
> rather than the choice
between dying of starvation or dying fighting the
> "infidel."
Fifth, start a series of public works projects in areas of the
> country not under
Taliban control (these are much more than the press
> reports) again to demonstrate
goodwill and that improvements come with
> peace. Sixth, I would
consider vary [very] carefully putting any female
> service members into
Afghanistan proper-sorry to the females of our class
> but within that culture
a man who allows a women to fight for him has zero
> respect, and we will
need respect to gain the cooperation of Afghan
allies.
> No Afghan will work
with a man who fights with women. I would hold off
from
> doing anything too
dramatic in the near term, keeping a low level of
covert
> action and pressure up
over the winter, allowing this pressure to force
> open the fissions
around the Taliban that were already developing. Expect
> that they will quickly
turn on themselves and on OBL. We can pick up the
> pieces next summer, or
the summer after. When we do "pick-up" the pieces I
> would make sure that we
do so on the ground, "man to man." While I would
> never want to advocate
American causalities, it is essential that we
> communicate to OBL and
all others watching that we can and will "engage
and
> destroy the enemy in
close combat." As mentioned above, we should not try
> to gain or hold
terrain, but Infantry operations against the enemy are
> essential. There can be
no excuses after the defeat or lingering doubts in
> the minds of our
enemies regarding American resolve and nothing, nothing
> will communicate this
except for ground combat. And once this is all over,
> unlike in 1989 the US
must provide continued long-term economic assistance
> to rebuild the country.
>
> While I have written
too much already, I think it is also important to
> share a few things on
the subject of brutality. Our opponents will not
> abide by the Geneva
conventions. There will be no prisoners unless there
is
> a chance that they can
be ransomed or made part of a local prisoner
> exchange. During the
war with the Soviets, videotapes were made of
> communist prisoners
having their throats slit. Indeed, there did exist a
> "trade" in
prisoners so that souvenir videos could be made by outsiders to
> take home with them.
This practice has spread to the Philippines, Bosnia
> and Chechnya w[h]ere
similar videos are being made today and can be found
> on the web for those so
inclined. We can expect our soldiers to be treated
> the same way. Sometime
during this war I expect that we will see videos of
> US prisoners having
their heads cut off. Our enemies will do this not only
> to demonstrate their
"strength" to their followers, but also to cause us
to
> overreact, to seek
wholesale revenge against civilian populations and to
> turn this into the
world wide religious war that they desperately want.
> This will be a test of
our will and of our character. (For further
> collaboration of this
type of activity please read Kipling). This will not
> be a pretty war; it
will be a war of wills, of resolve and somewhat
> conversely of
compassion and of a character. Towards our enemies, we must
> show a level of
ruthlessness that has not been part of our military
> character for a long
time. But to those who are not our enemies we must
> show a level of
compassion probably unheard of during war. We should do
> this not for
humanitarian reasons, even though there are many, but for
> shrewd military logic.
For anyone who is still reading this way to long
> note, thanks for your
patience. I will try to answer any questions that
may
> arise in a more concise
manner.
>
> Thanks, Richard Kidd
>
>
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From: "George W Kenning
Jr" <gkenning@compuserve.com>
To: "Rosa"
<KATEALEXANDER@compuserve.com>,
"John McHale" <jmchale5@compuserve.com>
Subject: Fw: War is
ugly--Afghan War Worse ala R.Kidd (West Point)
Date: Sat, 29 Sep 2001
13:16:32 -0600