MG Paul Vallely

This is part II of the BG Cash post.
Six

Great Generals and Warrior Leaders
Change the Tide of War and Battle
By

Paul E. Vallely


Those that have studied military history fully realize that great battlefield leaders have been able to change the “Tide of War” or the ‘Tide of the Battle” to achieve VICTORY. What this means to the layman is that when the battle is going against you, you must change the strategy and tactics of the battle and reverse the tide against the enemy. I have some questions for our civilian and military leadership today regarding a war that is appearing more and more like an empty act that seems to be losing its character and “raison d’etre”. First the pretense that this war must continue under the current strategy and that we are achieving results when the facts appear each day to refute that. We see more casualties each day and the leadership standbys a self-destructive and self-defeating strategy of "counter-insurgency" (COIN) doctrine and nation-building. Please define for me since January 2002 what the victories are for America in Afghanistan? In the Fall of 2001, 100 Special Operations Forces and CIA operative using proxies and a solid and well-executed air support campaign defeated the Taliban and Al Qaeda in thirty-four (34) days. Then our leaders went the conventional war path and then to Counter-insurgency and here we are today some nine years later.

The COIN principle is not based on winning; it is based on political whims and is not a true tenet of warfare. Warfare is, and always should be, about WINNING or do not go to War. Winning this specific war against forces impelled by Islamic ideology, the global caliphate and Sharia calls for unconventional measures and not the conventional actions followed by lengthy occupations such as we have seen in Iraq and Afghanistan. Such an unconventional war doctrine heavily leverages the core capability to break enemy states, target and destroy the enemy’s capability to bring harm to America". Why do US military/political leaders and strategists still languish in a thought process that thinks you can Nation-Build before you defeat the enemy?

Fact: Jihadists with small arms and IEDS in faraway places cannot harm the United States so there is no reason to order massive armies that require large and extensive bases and massive logistical support to fight them on their home turf. But that is the essence of failed “counterinsurgency” (COIN) strategies that have bewitched US military political leaders. We all want to support our senior military leaders but at some point they have to face the realities of this enemy and protect and secure our American troops. General Petreaus must have the courage and wisdom to change the tide of the war! It is time!

Iran supported jihadis using Iranian improvised explosive devices (IEDS) continue to kill our soldiers, nation-building civilians, CIA operatives and Afghans at unacceptable rates. And we accept this and do nothing about Iran’s involvement .June was the deadliest month for international troops since the war began: 60 Americans were among 102 international troops slain, according to a count of military figures. This month, more than 70 international troops have died. That total includes more than 50 U.S. service members.

Yes, we have made great and innovative technological advances in weapons systems in the air, sea, and ground, in communications, in advanced intelligence systems and command and control systems. Yes, we have operational war planners at all levels of command, senior policy and politicos in the White House and Department of Defense, a National Security Team and a multitude of military commands positioned around the globe to guide and lead us in national security. But where are the common sense and rational senior General and Admiral Strategists that we have trained and schooled to be innovative, aggressive and win our nation’s wars quickly and decisively?

I rarely hear any of them talking about the valued Principles of War that successful combat leaders in the past have used to achieve success and victory. They cannot even talk in terms of victory, winning and bringing the troops home. Unfortunately, American leaders are increasingly trying to transform this force into one optimized for counterinsurgency missions (when, in fact, we are not, in my opinion, fighting insurgencies but rather, Islamic Jihadis and a fomenting global Caliphate) and conventional war followed on by long-term military occupations. Track back if you will to Korea, Vietnam, and now Iraq, and Afghanistan.

It is true that not all political goals are achievable through the use of military power. However, “victory” in war appears lost in the world of political correctness and appeasement. The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan – often seen as proving the necessity for COIN-capable forces as well as a commitment to nation-building -- demonstrate in reality that the vast majority of goals can be accomplished through quick, decisive joint strike military operations from selected “Lily Pad” friendly bases. Not all political goals are achievable this way, but most are, and those that cannot be achieved through conventional operations likely cannot be achieved by the application of even the most sophisticated counterinsurgency doctrine either. And, as well, to realize and understand in a profound way that you cannot Nation Build in an area of conflict until the enemy is defeated.

I am hard pressed to list any diplomatic and military victories for America in Iraq or Afghanistan since the Fall of 2001.. I predict that Iraq will be in worse shape a year from now and that Iran, Syria and the Iraqi Shiites will exert sufficient influence to control the future of Iraq.

Why can we not understand that our military is for national security, defending our country, our southern borders, the domestic jihad before they bring more harm to our citizens? Why can we not understand how important our resources are in terms of our trained Armed Forces and assets of our country and not to drain them across the globe in futile nation building operations but to leverage the military to counter threats to our country? To the General and Admirals, reposition our forces for victory and the pride of America.


A fundamental challenge in devising a strategy for the use of future American military power is that the world has literally never seen anything like our capability. The U.S. today has military capabilities at least equal to the rest of the world combined. There is virtually no spot on the globe that could not be targeted by American forces, and at most a small handful of countries that could thwart a determined U.S. effort

As a consequence, the U.S. must adopt a national military strategy that heavily leverages the core capability to break enemy states, target and destroy the enemy’s capability to bring harm to America. Such a strategy could defeat and disrupt most potential threats the U.S. faces.

While America’s adversaries today may prefer to engage the U.S. using proxies and develop radical Islamist organizations and jihadists, there is no rationale in declaring to the people of the United States that we are in a long war and accept that as a reason to not achieve a quick and decisive victory

Let them wail and whimper as we achieve the success that is necessary; wiping out and neutralizing radical Islamism and nation states that support it. Because our capability is so novel, American strategists lack a clear framework to guide the utilization of this force. They have sought to match capabilities to conceptions of the use of force from a different era, one in which the Cold War made regime change unpalatable due to the risk of escalation and that tended to make localized setbacks appear as loses in a perceived zero-sum competition with the Soviets. Like Reagan, it is time to call their bluff. They know we hold the big cards, so why are we so timid? This only fosters eastern thought that placation is a sign of weakness. A weakness they will turn into an asset and a political card to play to the uneducated masses they control. Based on superb intelligence, we can launch required strike operations from any number of secure global sites and bases. True, these radical Islamic forces pose a major terror threat abroad and at home but we can defeat those efforts as well.

Many describe our efforts as helping to recruit more fighters and more ideologues. This is no way to stop all the threat to our homeland. The only true way to stop the threat is to give them what they respect; pure force of arms and will. Otherwise, they sit in their sanctuaries and count up the moral victories they have achieved, and embolden future efforts. However, significant threats to the U.S., ranging from the military capacity of regional powers to weapons of mass destruction development programs to significant terrorist infrastructures, can be targeted and destroyed by conventional and unconventional military capabilities.

Again, we must stop thinking like westerners, and understand the way our enemy thinks. A lily pad is much more preferable because it gives them no moral high ground to propagandize, but at the same time instills sheer terror in their hearts as they guess at what is coming next. Force of will and resolve is required by our leaders that our enemies indeed respect and understand. Only when we understand that one objective of Global Jihad is imposition – by force or by stealth – of Shari’a (Islamic law) and the other is the re-establishment of the Caliphate/Imamate), can we even begin to formulate the enemy threat doctrine and strategic concept to DEFEAT THE ENEMY and WIN the GWOJ (Global War on Jihad).

Paul E. Vallely US Army (Ret) is the Chairman of Stand Up America and Co-Chairman of Veteran Defenders of America


Chairman – Stand Up America
E-Mail: standupamericaceo@gmail.com
www.standupamericaus.com
www.veterandefenders.org
www.soldiersmemorialfund.org
Fax: 406 837 0996

General Cash

We've posted articles and writings from General Cash a few times here. General Cash is a patriot and committed to the restoration of America. The Sarge knows and corresponds with him (General Cash has given The Sarge permission to re-print all of his posts here) and we are always proud to feature his thoughts whenever he chooses to provide them to us.

This will be a two part post. General Cash today and Major General Paul Vallely tomorrow.

The Sarge
Six
---

After taking time out to evaluate the depth of the out-of-control political situation we find ourselves in today, I have decided it really is time to "Stand-up America"!!! Political Correctness be damned. We are losing our country, and many of us have taken an oath not to let that happen.

Let us start with the Obama pledge to get out of Iraq and win the "RIGHT" war, his war, in Afghanistan. It seems he just can't get into the boring details of this war, so he is just going to let the Generals do it, as long as they are careful not to offend the Throne. Or, just maybe he is looking for someone to blame should it not work out. Well, the Generals are screwing it up also, and the proof of the pudding is more blood and treasure down the drain each day with little or nothing to show for it. Our current strategy is wrong!!! Will it take another 10 years for the American people to understand and demand a winning plan. Nation building will not work until victory is already won. Victory is impossible unless the civilian leaders of the nation decide that they truly want victory, and our leaders have not made that decision yet. Rules-of-Engagement (ROE) as defined in this theater are insane. Prosecution of young soldiers for killing the enemy is insane. Massive buildups as we have seen them in Iraq and Afghanistan are insane. I am literally up to my cheeks with the idea that we must appease the United Nations and the rest of the non-supportive world while Americans carry the bulk of the load in this war against animals. And, yes they are animals. I don't care to hear any more about the poor misunderstood Islamist who only want to either convert or kill the West.

So, what should we do? Read the following article carefully. It is written by my friend Paul Vallely, retired Army Major General, former Senior Military advisor to Fox News, and currently CEO of "Stand-Up America". He is spot on with his analysis of the
Afghanistan debacle, and he presents a new strategy for controlling this mismanaged region. Of course we must throw out many of the far-left imbeciles in the current Congress this November, along with the incompetence in the Whitehouse in 2012 to make a change like this happen. However, this is looking promising.

General Vallely suggests changing our operations from incountry costly bases and conventional massive force employment to smaller, actionable, combined force employment from friendly areas based outside the Area of Responsibility (AOR). He calls these smaller based special unit assignments "Lilly Pads". Our Special Operations would be capable of rapid employment from these Lilly Pads whenever the enemy presented a viable threat to the National Security of the United States of America, and not until then. They would meet the enemy with massive lethal force, which our current enemy understands. The slow, daily plodding and attempt at nation building that our soldiers experience today would come to an end. Our every move would be dedicated to a complete and decisive battlefield victory, then back to the pad.

Please read this great article, which was just released by Stand-Up America, and lets put some heat on the Republicans and the Democrats in Congress to force a change that will work.

Jim Cash
B/G, USAF, Ret.

General Cash Speaks Out

General Cash is a combat veteran, Warrior and True Patriot. He's also a compatriot of The Sarge's. I've posted his thoughts here before and I'm with him all the way. He has given his kind permission for me to post this here. Please take a minute, read it and get fired up.
It's a long ride. Who's ready?
The Six


CONGRESSIONAL GUIDE: Is mass resignation too much to ask?

One of the things I learned a long time ago, is that I am so average that my thinking is very similar to at least 75% of the American people, regardless of political party affiliation. Let's see if that holds true in this case. If so, politicians beware!!!

You know, I am not a Bush fan. However, I am really tired of hearing his name still repeated over and over by the far-left, and always associated with something bad. If President Obama is as astute as the far-left would have us believe, he would never mention the name Bush, or refer to "the mess he inherited" again. George Bush is history. Nothing can be done to change history. Might as well get over it, and let's look to the future, the only thing that can be changed or controlled. In my opinion the damage to this nation by the Obama insanity in his first 130 days is 100-fold worse than everything both Bush Presidents did combined.

We must get a grip on our government. We are beginning to resemble the chaos I observed in the Philippines while attending Snake School enroute to Vietnam in the 1967.
That was an unpleasant memory! Have you ever seen a 12-foot King Cobra---but, that is another story.

The current path chosen for our country is more dangerous that I have observed in my lifetime. That is saying something, as I was trying to command an F-15 Fighter Squadron when Jimmy Carter was President. I thought times were bad then!!!

After observing the most far-reaching far-left changes in our country's history occur in the past 130 days, there are a few things I would like to see changed again, and very soon. How about you Mr. and Mrs. America?

-----I just want Obama's insane spending to stop. We must stop listening to the far-left politicians and staff members who are paid to support this nonsense. Our debt is already beyond ever being repaid, unless the dollar is devalued to the point where it is worthless. Maybe that is the plan. If not, there is no plan.

-----I would like to see our President stop apologizing for America. It makes me believe he does not understand and appreciate the enormously positive role this country has played in maintaining freedom around the world. For example, Europe would be speaking German twice over, if it were not for American blood and treasure. The WWII generation was the last generation to truly understand sacrifice for freedom. We should treasure them, and never apologize for their contribution to saving those to whom our President appears to be constantly apologizing to.

-----I would like to see the majority of both Democrats and Republicans voted out of office, and replaced with young patriots who support term limits. A good place to look for replacements is our returning soldiers who have served in the Middle-East. They understand and appreciate life in this country. They were willing to die to protect that way of life. How may of our present elected officials can make that statement?

-----I would like to see strict term limits set at six two-year terms for the House and two six-year terms for the Senate. And for goodness sake, leave the President's term limit alone at two four-year terms.

-----I would like to see even the mention of ear-marks and pork-spending become a felony!!!

-----I would like to see our military rebuilt so strong that no country on this planet would dare attack us. Deterrence prevents war. And while we are at it, let's insure this nation buys the right stuff. For example, I would like to see the buy on our new F-22 fighter increased to the point of maintaining air-dominance for the next 50 years, as it has been for the past 50 years. I like lots of insurance when it comes to protecting this great nation. Boy, will that one burn Obama and his cronies' whiskers!!! They are destroying our military as we speak, as they are convinced Obama is gifted to the point of talking his way out of anything. North Korea, Iran, China and Russia are all laughing their butts off over that one.

-----I would like to see us completely pull out of Afghanistan. The Soviet Union proved many points there, and none were good. It is a totally different situation than Iraq. To win in Afghanistan, first we must win in Pakistan, and the American people are not willing to pay that price. It will become Obama's Vietnam, and for what reason? Enough of our young have died in the Middle-East. Please see the above concerning building our military strong enough that it will never need to be used.

-----I would like to see our health care system left alone. Let's offer a plan for those not covered, but do it through the private sector. Government should be kept as far away from this program as possible. I lived under a socialized medical program for over 30 years. It was called military health care and it sucked.

-----I would like to see our government severely limited and forced out of the auto and banking business. If a company can't cut it, let them use bankruptcy as our law allows. Who came up with this idea of too big to fail? It had to be someone in government drawing a salary far too large for their level of thinking.

-----I would like to see taxes reduced and in proportion to what is paid. If we want to reduce unemployment and see the economy soar, reduce tax rates on small business and provide assistance at that level, as opposed to General Motors. Where do we get these Harvard lunkheads who can only suggest government intervention and massive spending? This is not Rocket Science. They just want you, the American people, to think it so.

-----Did I say already that even the mention of pork-spending by our Congress should be considered a felony---and retroactive?

-----I would like our guns left alone. There is no controversy here. We have an Amendment to our Constitution clearly giving gun rights to American citizens. By the way, did I already say that to even allude to a "living Constitution", or suggest any deviation to our Constitution should be considered a felony offense?

-----I think we should maintain separation of Church and State. But, we should fully understand what that means. It does not mean that we cannot post the Ten Commandments anywhere we wish, use white crosses to mark the graves of our fallen soldiers, use the word "God" on our coins, and let those among us worship as they please. Does that not ring a bell even for those who skipped high school and went directly to Harvard? One of the factors leading to the founding of this nation was the search for religious freedom. I often wonder what is really being taught in our schools, when basic thought like this is not understood.

Well, there is so much more I would like to add, but I am already worried about the far-left, attack and destroy tactics being planned for me, and Hobbs (my Chinese Pug). However, those guys had best be careful. Those high paying government jobs are probably going to no longer be available when Sara is elected President. They might want to start hiding in the woodwork now.

Jim Cash, B/G, UFAF, Ret. Bigfork, MT