Posted on May 23, 2015
Are we too nice now? Do we need to fire more leaders?
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http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/good-guys-make-bad-generals/?fb_action_ids= [login to see] 233&fb_action_types=og.likes
Leadership
Command
Military History
Toxic Leadership
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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Sir,
I skimmed the article. I was just saying last night that we need to stop confusing the aid mission and military operations. State decided that their job was too dangerous for them to do it so they dumped it on us. Now, I feel what we are trying to do is all convoluted and we are not really trained for it. They need to be doing that mission.
Let's look at the Hearts and Minds concept. During WWII did we worry about winning the "hearts and minds" of the civilian population? Or did we go in there and earn their respect and admiration by handing the bad guys a crushing defeat? Yeah. That works, everyday. People understand that if there is a war, there will be civilian casualties. Fight the fight, accomplish the mission...*then* rebuild. It works.
All this is the long way of saying it's not that our leadership is "too nice," it's that our mission doesn't make sense. It is like hiring a team of master plumbers to do interior design and then blaming them when you don't like the results.
I skimmed the article. I was just saying last night that we need to stop confusing the aid mission and military operations. State decided that their job was too dangerous for them to do it so they dumped it on us. Now, I feel what we are trying to do is all convoluted and we are not really trained for it. They need to be doing that mission.
Let's look at the Hearts and Minds concept. During WWII did we worry about winning the "hearts and minds" of the civilian population? Or did we go in there and earn their respect and admiration by handing the bad guys a crushing defeat? Yeah. That works, everyday. People understand that if there is a war, there will be civilian casualties. Fight the fight, accomplish the mission...*then* rebuild. It works.
All this is the long way of saying it's not that our leadership is "too nice," it's that our mission doesn't make sense. It is like hiring a team of master plumbers to do interior design and then blaming them when you don't like the results.
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LTC (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) In my opinion we will not give back the State Dept. mission until they have the budget and manpower to do it, and the politicians will never give them the budget to get the manpower or resources so we are stuck in a self-perpetuating OODA loop.
There are plenty of things that plenty in high places or low places have done over the last 14 years that should have gotten them canned, we have become a society that does not like to tell people that they aren't fit for what they are doing. As well as a society that likes to choose the easy middle of the road choice versus the hard choice that is to one polarizing side or the other. Could we have solved the situation in Afghanistan or at least been a lot closer if those in power had continued to choose the harder decision for the political leaders? In my opinion, probably, but we will never know. In reading about some of the most trusted military advisors to past POTUSs one comment that always struck me as hitting the nail right on the head was when these leaders would tell the President that if their counsel was no longer in line with the Presidents thought then they would tender their resignation. These are the actions, though few and far between of bold men. Be ready to stand up for what you believe, even if it is to the bitter end.
There are plenty of things that plenty in high places or low places have done over the last 14 years that should have gotten them canned, we have become a society that does not like to tell people that they aren't fit for what they are doing. As well as a society that likes to choose the easy middle of the road choice versus the hard choice that is to one polarizing side or the other. Could we have solved the situation in Afghanistan or at least been a lot closer if those in power had continued to choose the harder decision for the political leaders? In my opinion, probably, but we will never know. In reading about some of the most trusted military advisors to past POTUSs one comment that always struck me as hitting the nail right on the head was when these leaders would tell the President that if their counsel was no longer in line with the Presidents thought then they would tender their resignation. These are the actions, though few and far between of bold men. Be ready to stand up for what you believe, even if it is to the bitter end.
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CPT (Join to see)
I would say the opposite of propaganda during WWII...america's pro-war campaign was one of the most successful in history, and it was fought both on our own soil and throughout Europe. We didn't just go over there on a rampage, we had to get our people to buy in and sacrifice for their country.
http://www.hoover.org/events/battle-hearts-and-minds-world-war-ii-propaganda
http://www.hoover.org/research/mightier-swords
http://www.hoover.org/events/battle-hearts-and-minds-world-war-ii-propaganda
http://www.hoover.org/research/mightier-swords
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CPT (Join to see)
LTC (Join to see), sir, the Army grew to fit the need. The dollars that were used to bring in PhD "expert" after PhD researcher, and to grow the upper levels of the officer corps in CA and the like in the military sector could have just as easily gone to DoS at a likely cost savings. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that DoS pumped the breaks hard. They adamantly proclaimed that they did not want the mission. People quit rather than be sent to serve in Iraq or Afghanistan. Rather than tell a group of people to suck it up, they just handed the mission off to the military (but State felt completely free to point out that we were incompetent at it at regular intervals).
CPT (Join to see), I wasn't very clear. I was not talking about selling the war to the US Civilian population. I was attempting to refer to our efforts to win over the Iraqi and Afghan civilian populations. When a threatening force overruns your country, routing them gets you pretty solid credibility with the civilians held hostage. On the other hand, if the threatening force keeps successfully operating and returning to cause harm, the civilians end up being asked to pick between two devils...and likely will choose the devil they know. No amount of leaflets or soccer balls can compensate for their perception of security.
CPT (Join to see), I wasn't very clear. I was not talking about selling the war to the US Civilian population. I was attempting to refer to our efforts to win over the Iraqi and Afghan civilian populations. When a threatening force overruns your country, routing them gets you pretty solid credibility with the civilians held hostage. On the other hand, if the threatening force keeps successfully operating and returning to cause harm, the civilians end up being asked to pick between two devils...and likely will choose the devil they know. No amount of leaflets or soccer balls can compensate for their perception of security.
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CPT (Join to see)
PO1 (Join to see) I neglected to add a link, but we aggressively blanketed Europe with pro-American propaganda as well.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goebbels/peopleevents/e_propaganda.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goebbels/peopleevents/e_propaganda.html
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It's all about context. During WWII it was about winning PERIOD to wipe Nazi Germany off the map. We needed tough as nails leaders who could push the limits. Vietnam started the "winning the hearts and minds" campaign because it was about turning back the tide of communism on a small peninsula. Today we are fighting restricted wars of containment - for lack of a better term - to stabilize countries in a region where religion and state are one and slice out the "cancer" while trying to let the "body" heal. We need leaders with a gentler touch because of the situation our government is putting us into. Kill, but don't overkill. Make friends with these guys but get rid of the guys 2 streets over. Back this group but not that group. It must be like walking on eggshells for those at the top and I do not envy but sympathize with the position they are in and the delicate decisions they must weigh and balance. GEN Patton must be doing cart wheels in his grave.
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Read something similar about why jerks make better bosses...may be some truth to this.
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