A Theory of Nothing...

 

 

"I tried to figure this one out, but when I added it up, I still came up with zero..."

Last night was the annual love fest which some call the Oscars. I never watch it anymore, because it would nauseate me and give me heartburn. That being said, I did hear this morning the man who portrayed Steven Hawking in The Theory of Everything, won the best actor role. After seeing the movie, I totally this actor was worthy of some kind of honor.

I started to think about the title of that movie. Today we have a different "movie" going on in real life. It is our war against ISIL. Our strategy in the war might be called A Theory of Nothing. Our strategy is bizarre to say the least. It is a text book example on how not to fight a war to win. It is a textbook example of .....nothing.

Why do I say that? Recently, one of the kids who speaks for the Administration said we are going to retake Mosul this spring. Mosul has been in the hands of the enemy now for months. It fell after only a four day battle. Our Administration then told not only when, but how many troops will be used. We might as well put our battle plan on Google or Facebook. Senator McCain was apoplectic when he heard this news. He said in all his years, he had never heard of an Administration "telegraphing a punch" like this one just did.

One of the elements of the plan is to vigorously train 25,000 Iraqi and Turkish fighters to carry most of the water in the upcoming fight. A defense official from Turkey was interviewed this weekend about the plan. He had very serious doubts that any sized fighting force of Iraqis could be ready by spring. Then an official from Iraq was interviewed. THAT person could not get over the fact that OUR Administration had leaked out the war plan. In addition, since it would involve Iraqi forces on Iraqi soil, the timing and strategy should belong to Baghdad, and not Washington. In short, we again looked like idiots.

When our Administration was questioned on why in the world they would disclose such sensitive war plans, their answer was perplexing at best. They said (and I will paraphrase), "It will give ISIL a chance to flee Mosul before spring. If they know we are coming, they will want no part of us".

This morning Bill Crystal from the Weekly Standard offered a different view. He said (again I will paraphrase), "We have excellent spy satellites. We know where the fighters are. Why are we not sending in some B-2 bombers and eliminating about 250 ISIL fighters right now? That should send a message. We don't need to wait until spring." Crystal went on, "Our bombing and drone strikes have only been directed at leadership in ISIL. We should target all of them."

Crystal had a good point. We should be able to know where most of the bad guys are. Send in the B-2's the A-10's, or whatever, and take care of business. General Hayden (former head of the NSA) said we need to "clear the battlefield". That means capture or kill any enemy who is out there. That is not a theory, that is a fact. We are armed to the teeth and have the platforms to deliver real shock and awe for a sustained period of time.

This spring offensive using untested Iraqi soldiers against battle hardened ISIL fighters sounds a bit like Custer getting ready for Little Big Horn. Truthfully, this plan does sound like a whole bunch of nothing coming up this spring. And to beat this enemy, we need something, not a theory of nothing...