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I would like to propose that we all acknowledge that American military leadership is not stupid, and that Israeli military leadership is also not stupid. We should all agree they would not undertake any mission without a plan. This should not be a difficult debate. The military does not undertake the mission of going to lunch without 3 contingency plans.
The military leadership knew better than anyone that history is without an example of a regime being brought down solely by air power. They duly informed political leadership of this historical fact, and political leadership instructed them to do the best they could.
Will they succeed? Too soon to say. It is not too soon to say, however, that political opponents sound like morons when they accuse the military of not having “a plan.” They sound like defeatists in proclaiming failure because total regime collapse has not happened in 3 days, 10 days, or 18 days.
Iran is a country twice the size of Texas with 90 million educated, smart people who have financed a state-of-the-art oppressive regime with billions of dollars from oil sales. Only a cockeyed optimist (such as myself) could believe regime change could ever be achieved. Only a disingenuous idiot would insist that final judgment on the project should be proclaimed after two weeks.
One rule of warfare is to keep your plans secret. That also means never tell your plans to the armchair generals in Congress.
Because political leadership wants to reserve the option of declaring victory even if regime change is not achieved, political leadership declines to declare regime change as a goal. Regime change is not the only goal, but it is a goal. This ain’t over until the fat lady sings "IRAN IS FREE."
The Mossad has been planning and preparing for this moment for decades. With each passing day, we are learning of new, innovative tactics designed to bring down an oppressive regime. The final act of this drama will be when the currently unarmed Iranians take over their country. That final act will not occur until our military leadership concludes its preparations. We, in our armchairs, are not able to predict their timeline.
We are inpatient. But people smarter than us have a plan. (Actually, they have lots of plans.) We want it done quickly, but mostly, we want it done right. So far, they have more than earned our trust that they know what they are doing. Our role is to watch TV and admire the skill and the intelligence on display.
G-Pub
PS: There is a sports legend about a year when some Ohio State fans were so committed to getting their football coach fired, they rooted for Michigan during the game. They had become temporarily deranged, but the stakes were limited to sports, so no real harm was done.
TDS, the successor to BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome), was not meant to imply an actual mental illness. But when half of Congress is unable to publicly declare their desire for Operation Epic Fury to be successful, medication may be required. Get a grip, Democrats. Your country’s military is risking lives to make us safer, and they are performing spectacularly. If you can’t cheer them on and wish them well, get help. (There are rules. You don’t criticize the coaches until the game is over, and you never criticize the players.)
PPS: A preemptive note to comment writers. This post is not about Trump. It is about military leadership, and the inappropriateness of criticizing military leadership in the midst of battle. Please hold your rant about Trump for a different post.
Discussion (186)
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Do you think perhaps that the critics are accusing Trump of not having a plan, rather than accusing the the military leadership? I think you are completely missing, and hence accidentally misstating, their point.
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Art!
They are politicians, and they are constrained by the views and beliefs of their constituents.
My read is that most people don't see this as a struggle for freedom in Iran. (Which monsters would oppose THAT? Only the people who supported a coup in Iran in 1953 to replace a democratically elected goverenment with a dictator wearing Imperial Drag, that's who!)
It's a struggle for control of the Middle East and people who are wary of foreign entanglements are not keen on it at all. This is an attempt to persuade them that it's a moral endeavour. I mean look at what governs the US's dealings with Saudi! Convinced?
I'm in sympathy with this, but don't you think that the Iranian Regime will do that to the Iranian population as well? Do you think their patriotism is sophisticated enough to differentiate support of country from support of an adminstration?
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Thoughtful post; thank you. My takeaways:
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Israel had a plan. The US had a plan. They may not have been the same plan.
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I am not familiar with this rule. In my experience Americans are very willing to criticize coaches and players before, during and after a game.
The military has a plan for everything. War Plan Red for example. That doesn't mean the plans are worthwhile to execute.
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