Neil Richardson on "Cleaning House."

"Somehow, it seems to me that things are out of whack with the generals. Posted by: WP | 23 September 2010 at 10:35 AM" It's some of the generals aided by the COINistas and neocons outside. There's one thing Obama can do which is to start cleaning up the uniformed leadership. Mullen's term ends in October 2011 IIRC. He can also retire Petraeus, Odierno and others who have been pushing for nation building. And SecDef Gates can go as well. I'm very disappointed with his part (I mean the man ought to more about Afghanistan than the rest of the neocons put together given his experience) as well as that of Hillary Clinton in the policy deliberation process (based on what's been reported). I have no idea what role Gen. James Cartwright played in putting together an option for Biden, but there are enough general officers who would clearly figure out which way the wind is blowing if the White House and the political leadership can send the right message. As we saw in the run up to 2002, general officers will toe the line no matter what misgivings they might have regarding policy and strategy. There seems to be a brewing group of general officers who believe this COIN business has gotten out of hand and they're the next generation of senior leadership in the Army. And the Air Force would gladly help them politically provided they get enough of the DOD budget pie. The USAF has been frustrated long enough because Gates refuses to write them a blank check year after year.   Neil Richardson

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I am altogether in agreement with Neil on this.  Obama should clean house with regard to those generals and admirals who successfully "steamrollered" him into this COIN foolishness.  He should also think about purging cabinet officers who went along with the "nation-builder" generals.  LTG Lute apparently sided with Biden and other sensible people who wanted to stick with counter-terrorism as a strategy.  He should be rewarded by Obama as an example to others.

Patronage and government money should dry up for the centers of COIN obsession.

If the president does not do something like that he will sink with the rest of the COINistas.  pl

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/22/AR2010092206232.html?hpid=topnews

Comments

[ex-PFC Chuck]

Col., for the benefit of those of us out here in flyover land or who are otherwise only tenuously connected, can you post a few words about Neil Richardson's background?

[Patrick Lang]

ex-PFC Chuck

In the words of the immortal Brother Dave Gardner, "I doesn't know." Or maybe that was Miss Baby. pl

[Basilisk]

Miss Baby, she was alright till me n' Junior turned her head around.

I thought nobody else remembered Brother Dave. Thanks for that blast from the past.

[Patrick Lang]

basilisk

"And then I dropped it down into Race." "If you love the South, say Glory!" pl

[walrus]

Brother Dave - motorcycle story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1kZ7SQ2MV4

[LJ]

If Obama retires Petraeus, he will have created a candidate with a "stabbed in the back" narrative for 2012. A Petraeus/Palin ticket anyone?

[Retired (once-Serving)Patriot]

Sadly, Lute's sagacity will only be rewarded with scorn and derision (he'e been over at the WH for years now anyways!). He will certainly not get promoted by the 4stars for the heresy of going against the company line (even if it is in the best interest of America's interests). That is the way it is. Walrus gives the best reason why this is the case.

Not unlike corporations that run themselves into ruin (eg GM) despite the very best efforts of those not in control of them, the military corporation is unable to change itself. Such change requires leaders of exceptional integrity and unswerving commitment to said integrity. In short, only a Marshall could balance DOD's enormous fiscal, political and physical power within our society with the soul twisting temptations inherent with our current global "imperial" state and lack of equivalent military powers.

Sadly, there is no Marshall out there. The system as built can never produce one. And it has no intention of ever letting one emerge.

What does this mean? It means that only a soul shattering defeat in arms will generate enough heat and light to cause real reform. (One would think that having an airliner crashed into your headquarters in your capital city might have been such a defeat....)

RP

[Byron Raum]

I am not sure nation-building in Afghanistan isn't our better option. It keeps the neocons preoccupied who would otherwise be agitating for invading Iran. And possibly Pakistan. Having Afghanistan keeps Them Over There, instead of trying to Start Wars Elsewhere.

It would certainly be seized upon as yet further evidence that Obama is a wuss, as well as an al-Qaeda agent.

It might well be the worst option, except for all the rest.

[Sidney O. Smith III]

Whenever a crisis erupts on the Korean peninsula, it would greatly behoove military and civilian leaders of the USG to consult Neil Richardson and make him part of their innermost council.

[Adam L Silverman]

Sir,

As we've discussed before the problem here is that COIN has become less of a strategy or an operational or tactical set and more of a brand. And many of it's biggest boosters have become brands unto themselves and they will do anything and everything to protect the COIN brand, especially when it overlaps with their personal brand.

With the exception of the ODAs and the training team/security force advising guys, we're not doing COIN. We are using the COIN principles at the tactical and operational level and that is a major difference; especially when you're doing it as a third party.

[Norm]

I wonder to which admirals you refer. Generally speaking, sea service folks believe the U.S. should avoid putting boots on the ground where we can't bring our "unfair advantage" to bear---support from the sea. Every time I look at the lines of logistics for out troops in Afghanistan, I shudder. But, I am an unreconstructed pre-Goldwater-Nichols guy, and I know I am supposed to believe a few special ops folks with discreet air support is the winning way in the future of warfare. When I was told this originally by a colleague on the SASC, my reply was, "What's the punch line? This is a blonde joke, right?" He became ASD SOLIC, I faded to my present obscurity awaiting the "future of warfare." Wonder when it will arrive?