Attempts As Both Tactics and Strategy
John Robb's Global Guerrillas has an interesting alternative perspective on the crotch-bomber's attack and the reaction thereto.
I differ from Robb in his nomenclature, as I believe the term "attempt" better describes the swarm-attack tactical/strategic opportunity he discusses.
More on swarming here, here, here, here and here. Saul Alinksy's Rules for Radicals also implicitly acknowledges the power of swarms in Rule 8:
8. Keep the pressure on with different tactics and actions, and utilize all events of the period for your purpose.
As dessert, you may also want to read this after-action report on the swarm attack war-gamed against the US Navy in 2002.
Food for thought:
Especially in asymmetric warfare, if a "failed" or "attempted" attack causes the OpFor to extend and deplete resources such that other near-simultaneous attacks are more likely to succeed, has the "failure" actually failed?
Phrased alternatively, ask Admiral Yamamoto about the failed attacks of VT-8 from Hornet and VT-6 from Enterprise near Midway Island on the morning of June 4, 1942.
posted by Concerned American | 5:39 PM
10 Comments:
A good point, indeed. Unfortunately, the people in power are not paying attention.
Folks:
It's not about hajii.
It's about David taking on Goliath and winning.
Multiple threats on multiple axes at near-simultaneity across multiple districts.
Break the OODA loop and you break your opponent.
Thinking about the chart; The more categories of axes there are, the more complicated the system is and thus, more facets to attack.
On the other hand, a much simpler system with just a few categories axes offers fewer opportunities for attack.
The strongest system would be one that has redundant axes within each category and minimizes exposure to single point failures that would totally disrupt any one category.
By contrast, David used a single stone to strike Goliath's weakest spot and send him to the ground. But it's worth noting that David severed Goliath's head using Goliath's own sword.
If one has to defend everything, he can defend nothing.
"it's worth noting that David severed Goliath's head using Goliath's own sword."
interesting point. What is the analogy in our context? Anyone?
Your examples of the "failed" attacks at Midway are excellent. Well done. Sometimes, even when you lose, you win.
That is also true even when it comes to "losing" entire battles, such as Bunker Hill, or the Alamo, and often success from failure is not merely because of attrition, delay, or a change of disposition of forces, but because of the moral and psychological effects that come later.
Going down fighting, and making it a hell of a bloody fight, has a special value all its own.
The incredible valor shown by single sailors and Marines at Pearl Harbor alone (read some of the stories at http://www.homeofheroes.com/pearlharbor/pearl_8moh.html) helped to set the mindset of the American people to one of cold, steely rage and determination to seek out the enemy wherever he was, and crush him. The giant awoke, and it was righteously pissed off.
God help the fools in power today that somehow think this current generation is not of the same cloth. The great bulk of the people may still be asleep, and may have indeed grown soft, but "they" will be surprised at how fast the awakening and the hardening can happen.
HPL
How does this apply to us?
Each of us must be able and ready to start and grow as many small groups, cultivate lone wolfs with a common cause as possible. That means being above all SURVIVABLE-have places to go, or better yet live in a place your name's not on at all. Form alliances with whoever you can. Look out for them and vice versa. Be someone reliable and can go to. Look out for the fatherless, the motherless.
Each of us must have as much in the way of skills and knowledge as possible to bring those that are willing but lacking the knowledge up to speed. Download ALL YOU CAN off the internet, have a laptop with solar panel or other means of recharging the battery, printer, lots of ink cartridges or a means to replicate the ink. Learn papermaking. And don't just download Ragnar Benson-get books on machine tools, chemistry, electronics, microgardening, hydroponics, military history.
Those of us that are able must be able to arm those willing but unable. That means lots of guns cached-anything that can shoot that you have ammo for. Mosin-Nagants seem to be ideal for those that can shoot. Old shotguns acquired at yard sales, flea markets, estate sales etc for close in teams or who can't shoot. Airsoft, bb guns and lots of pellets for basic marksmanship training and hopefully tactical training.
We'll need a means of communicating better than runners. We need to start building a clandestine internet.
Grow the numbers. Everything else will follow sooner or later.
""it's worth noting that David severed Goliath's head using Goliath's own sword."
interesting point. What is the analogy in our context? Anyone?"
There are many who are experienced as fixed wing pilots, tank crews, helicopter pilots etc. Appropriated equipment could be used for short periods of time and either abandoned or disabled when the mission is complete. That is one way to use "Goliath's" equipment.
HPL said:
"God help the fools in power today that somehow think this current generation is not of the same cloth. The great bulk of the people may still be asleep, and may have indeed grown soft, but "they" will be surprised at how fast the awakening and the hardening can happen."
That is my daily prayer.
However, that this present generation (30 and below?) is made of the same cloth as that of my father's generation is not well supported by observation.
I'm afraid it is left to us older folks to tote the mail again.
Necropost-
Now Aughtsix, that's just silly vanity.
Remember the generation you venerate created the generation you now doubt.
That it has not been tested, that it lives according to the demands placed upon it, that it lives in the world created and wished for by the generation you venerate is not the fault of the young people.
You cannot condemn a generation for not having risen to a nonexistent challenge.
"Older folks" have, as you said, "toted the mail" goddamned long enough, and the result is the mess we have today.
It will be up to my generation (the thirtysomethings and below that you brush off as useless)- and that of my children- to clean this mess up.
Your generation has had long enough to "tote the mail", and has done nothing but edged closer to collecting Social Security.
AP
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