"A Look At The Future Of Land Warfare" Topic

"In my new book, "The Future of Land Warfare" (Brookings Institution Press, 2015), I attempt to debunk the new conventional wisdom (which began with the Obama administration but also permeates thinking beyond): Messy ground operations can be relegated to the dustbin of history. That is a paraphrase and dramatization, to be sure—but only a modest one, since the administration's 2012 and 2014 defense plans both state that the U.S. Army will no longer size its main combat forces with large-scale counterinsurgency and stabilization missions in mind.

This is, I believe, a major conceptual mistake, even if not yet one that has decimated the Army. But it will cause increasing harm with time if we buy into the idea. The active-duty Army is already below its Clinton-era size and only slightly more than half its Reagan-era size. Reductions to the Army Reserve and Army National Guard have been almost as steep. None need grow at this juncture, but the cuts should stop…"

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Amicalement
Armand

It's a think piece on force structure requirements. The only political references are to conventional wisdom (related to the Democratic administration) and sequestration (related more to the Republican-controlled Congress). It's non-partisan.

Thought it was discussion about future warfare – everything is politics if you choose it to be, this may have a political content but is mainly a case of 'this is how I see wars developing in the future'.

It is nonpartisan. Knee-jerk reaction much?

I am not sure what i think about the need for 300-500,000 troops for a "domestic disaster" being the greatest potential need for our army…

Messy ground operations can be relegated to the dustbin of history. That is a paraphrase and dramatization, to be sure—but only a modest one, since the administration's 2012 and 2014 defense plans both state that the U.S. Army will no longer size its main combat forces with large-scale counterinsurgency and stabilization missions in mind.

Madness … who is drinking what ?

This is, I believe, a major conceptual mistake, even if not yet one that has decimated the Army. But it will cause increasing harm with time if we buy into the idea. The active-duty Army is already below its Clinton-era size and only …

I agree this is major conceptual mistake. Because you don't grow an effective army overnight. And if you are a student of history, you'd know this. How many wars when they occurred were we or even other countries not prepared. The learning curve is steep … "Pray for peace … but prepare for war. ", I think the old Roman statesman said.