Open
Letter to Americans
By
Dr. Tony Kern, Lt Col, USAF (Ret)
Former Director of Military History, USAF Academy
Recently,
I was asked to look at the recent events through the lens of military history. I
have joined the cast of thousands who have written an ‘open letter to
Americans.'
14 September, 2001
"Dear friends and fellow Americans -
Like everyone else in this great country, I am reeling from last week's attack
on our sovereignty. But unlike some, I am not reeling from surprise. As a career
soldier and a student and teacher of military history, I have a different
perspective and I think you should hear it. This war will be won or lost by the
American citizens, not diplomats, politicians or soldiers. Let me briefly
explain.
In spite of what the media, and even our own government is telling us, this act
was not committed by a group of mentally deranged fanatics. To dismiss them as
such would be among the gravest of mistakes. This attack was committed by a
ferocious, intelligent and dedicated adversary. Don't take this the wrong way. I
don't admire these men and I deplore their tactics, but I respect their
capabilities. The many parallels that have been made with the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor are apropos. Not only because it was a brilliant sneak attack
against a complacent America, but also because we may well be pulling our new
adversaries out of caves 30 years after we think this war is over, just like my
father's generation had to do with the formidable Japanese in the years
following WW II.
These men hate the United States with all of their being, and we must not
underestimate the power of their moral commitment. Napoleon, perhaps the world's
greatest combination of soldier and statesman, stated 'the moral is to the
physical as three is to one.' Patton thought the Frenchman underestimated its
importance and said moral conviction was five times more important in battle
than physical strength. Our enemies are willing – better said anxious - to
give their lives for their cause. How committed are we America? And for how
long?
In addition to demonstrating great moral conviction, the recent attack
demonstrated a mastery of some of the basic fundamentals of warfare taught to
most military officers worldwide, namely simplicity, security and surprise. When
I first heard rumors that some of these men may have been trained at our own Air
War College, it made perfect sense to me. This was not a random act of violence,
and we can expect the same sort of military competence to be displayed in the
battle to come. This war will escalate, with a good portion of it happening
right here in the good ol' U.S. of A. These men will not go easily into
the night. They do not fear us. We must not fear them. In spite of our
overwhelming conventional strength as the world's only 'superpower' (a truly
silly term), we are the underdog in this fight.
As you listen to the carefully scripted rhetoric designed to prepare us for the
march for war, please realize that America is not equipped or seriously trained
for the battle ahead. To be certain, our soldiers are much better than the
enemy, and we have some excellent 'counter-terrorist' organizations, but they
are mostly trained for hostage rescues, airfield seizures, or the occasional
'body snatch, (which may come in handy). We will be fighting a war of
annihilation, because if their early efforts are any indication, our enemy is
ready and willing to die to the last man. Eradicating the enemy will be costly
and time consuming. They have already deployed their forces in as many as 20
countries, and are likely living the lives of everyday citizens. Simply put, our
soldiers will be tasked with a search and destroy mission on multiple foreign
landscapes, and the public must be patient and supportive until the strategy and
tactics can be worked out.
For the most part, our military is still in the process of redefining itself and
presided over by men and women who grew up with - and were promoted because they
excelled in - Cold War doctrine, strategy and tactics. This will not be linear
warfare, there will be no clear 'centers of gravity' to strike with high
technology weapons. Our vast technological edge will certainly be helpful, but
it will not be decisive. Perhaps the perfect metaphor for the coming battle was
introduced by the terrorists themselves aboard the hijacked aircraft -- this
will be a knife fight, and it will be won or lost by the ingenuity and will of
citizens and soldiers, not by software or smart bombs. We must also be patient
with our military leaders.
Unlike Americans who are eager to put this messy time behind us, our adversaries
have time on their side, and they will use it. They plan to fight a battle of
attrition, hoping to drag the battle out until the American public loses its
will to fight. This might be difficult to believe in this euphoric time of flag
waving and patriotism, but it is generally acknowledged that America lacks the
stomach for a long fight. We need only look as far back as Vietnam, when North
Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap (also a military history teacher) defeated the
United States of America without ever winning a major tactical battle. American
soldiers who marched to war cheered on by flag waving Americans in 1965 were
reviled and spat upon less than three years later when they returned. Although
we hope that Usama Bin Laden is no Giap, he is certain to understand and employ
the concept. We can expect not only large doses of pain like the recent attacks,
but! also less audacious 'sand in the gears' tactics, ranging from livestock
infestations to attacks at water supplies and power distribution facilities.
These attacks are designed to hit us in our 'comfort zone' forcing the average
American to 'pay more and play less' and eventually eroding our resolve. But it
can only work if we let it. It is clear to me that the will of the American
citizenry - you and I - is the center of gravity the enemy has targeted. It will
be the fulcrum upon which victory or defeat will turn. He believes us to be
soft, impatient, and self-centered. He may be right, but if so, we must change.
The Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz, (the most often quoted and least read
military theorist in history), says that there is a 'remarkable trinity of
war' that is composed of the (1) will of the people, (2) the political
leadership of the government, and (3) the chance and probability that plays out
on the field of battle, in that order. Every American citizen was in the cross
hairs of last Tuesday's attack, not just those that were unfortunate enough to
be in the World Trade Center or Pentagon. The will of the American people will
decide this war. If we are to win, it will be because we have what it takes to
persevere through a few more hits, learn from our mistakes, improvise, and
adapt. If we can do that, we will eventually prevail.
Everyone I've talked to In the past few days has shared a common frustration,
saying in one form or another 'I just wish I could do something!' You are
already doing it. Just keep faith in America, and continue to support your
President and military, and the outcome is certain. If we fail to do so, the
outcome is equally certain."
"God Bless America."
---Dr. Tony Kern, Lt Col, USAF (Ret)
Former Director of Military History, USAF Academy
Please feel free to forward this message. I believe it is a "must
read" for
everyone.
