Sun Tzu said: 'Know Your Enemy'
Yesterday, George W. Bush said that we could not pull out of Iraq because it "would send a terrible signal to the enemy." This begs the question-- 'who is the enemy?'In Iraq, the enemy is elusive. For the past two years, the U.S. military has chased so-called insurgents through the vast deserts of western Iraq and up and down the Euphrates River valley. But to little avail. According to military leaders, we still know very little about the "enemy"-- Who are they? Where are they? What will they do next?
"Sunni Muslim insurgents -- some angry about the downfall of Saddam Hussein, others fighting for a Sunni theocracy -- have joined with Muslim extremists coming across a porous desert border looking for the glory of international jihad. The guerrilla fighters often leave a rearguard to fight advancing U.S. forces, while moving the majority of their men to other towns where the Marines have no presence and the police forces have disbanded." Detroit Free Press, August 8, 2005So when the President says that he doesn't want to send a bad message to the "enemy", who is he referring to?
Yeah, I've heard that the enemy is a "terrorist". But can you please tell me what a terrorist looks like in Iraq? Yeah, I've also heard that the enemy is an "insurgent"? But could you please tell me what an insurgent looks like?
The truth is, our enemy has no head, takes no definitive shape, and does not manifest any locus of power. In essence, the enemy is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. The enemy in Iraq is, for all intents and purposes, unknowable.
"We cannot recognize the enemy because he dresses like a civilian and he drives in a civilian car. He looks like everyone else." Detroit Free Press, August 8, 2005Can the President tell us how this non-existent enemy will be found or how it will be defeated? Does he think we will simply wear out this elusive enemy on its home turf?
In Sun Tzu's The Art of War, the oldest military treatise in the world, the great Chinese warrior stated:
"When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength." Art of War, at II:2.But more importantly, Sun Tzu stated:
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." Art of War, at III:18. (Emphasis Added.)Unfortunately, our President does not know his enemy. Yet, like a child, he is stubbornly trying to outlast and defeat the unknowable ghost in the closet. And similar to Vietnam, without ever losing a battle, for every victory gained, we are bound to suffer a defeat. Moreover, unlike Bush, our elusive "enemy" does follow the Art of War game plan.
"You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked." Art of War, at VI:7.Is this not the definition of guerilla warfare?
Oh, the folly and arrogance of George W. Bush. He speaks like a child and wages war like a neophyte. How will we know when the last enemy is gone, when he can't be sure where the first enemy is hiding?
The war in Iraq is doomed to fail. I take no pleasure in this inevitable fact. I only wish it would end sooner rather than later. So when the President says it 'makes no sense to leave Iraq now,' he fails to realize that it makes less sense to stay in Iraq. How many more must die?
Something tells me, these right-wingers will not realize the futility of this campaign until many, many more have died. And certainly, when that happens, rather than realize that this campaign was doomed from the outset pursuant to longstanding war principles, they will simply blame the loss on, you guessed it, the Left. Once again, like children, they will avoid responsibility and choose rather to blame others. Until twenty or thirty years from now....when they do it all over again in some other far off land....
Each and every time The Bullsh...er...BullDOG Manifesto lands on my desktop via BlogExplosion, I eagerly read, fully expecting incisive, well-informed political debate.
And then...*SHOCK!*...I realise that I'm on ANOTHER trashy, brainwashed anti-Bush rant site and I move on. Swiftly.
Dull, repetitive rubbish.
Posted by
Flo |
Friday, August 12, 2005 3:14:00 AM
Hey flo - why don't you go and join the marine corps and get yourself killed in Iraq if you're so pro-bush?
It's real easy to trash someone else's hard work isn't it? I don't see a link to a blog of your own that you put hours of hard work into?
Posted by
Octavo |
Friday, August 12, 2005 3:48:00 AM
Flo. Brainwashed? ROFL! Thats excellent! Nice one! You crack me up.
...the problem with that is: It's the PRO-BUSH idiots that are brainwashed, NOT the anti-Bush.
Posted by
ibis |
Friday, August 12, 2005 4:00:00 AM
HAHA! I couldn't help laugh at Condalezza back there... WWWHHHAAAHHAHAAAA!!!
"I play the piano... I'm SOOO cool."
Posted by
Danielle |
Friday, August 12, 2005 6:41:00 AM
I didn't leave a message for flo...
Hmmm... something witty...witty.
*sips coffee
Realise is spelled with a "z". Dummy.
Posted by
Danielle |
Friday, August 12, 2005 6:45:00 AM
your writing is great. i thank you for it.
Posted by
April |
Friday, August 12, 2005 7:20:00 AM
Indeed, knowing your goal in the need maximises your performance measure. Its true for anything, be it war, or science. If Mr. Bush doesn't know who he is fighting against, against whom he is "instigating" his countrymen, then he better not do that what he is currently doing, and focus on understanding the real issues.
Posted by
Vivek |
Friday, August 12, 2005 7:59:00 AM
Bulldog, great stuff, well thoughtout!
Posted by
The Misanthrope |
Friday, August 12, 2005 7:59:00 AM
Hey Bulldog, that was a nice verification that you're hitting a nerve. ;-) Way to go! Keep up the good stuff dude.
Posted by
Chandira |
Friday, August 12, 2005 9:16:00 AM
On this point I totally concur with you that GWB does not know the psyche of the enemy.
Ironically, Osama bin Laden has read SUN TZU!
In battle plans, the Al Qaeda is miles ahead of the Marines.
I know these guys very well.
They have trained members of their cell in Nigeria and they don't hide their identity. They see Osama bin Laden as their hero and even name their babies after him. All Islamic psychos.
Nigeria just entered a military pact with Iran. Osama bin Laden knows that the US and EU depend so much on our oil and gas, and Osama wants to cripple that in the Gulf of Guinea. Nigeria has the largest army in Africa and enough dollars to buy arms from Iran.
The war on terror is not ending tomorrow.
GWB should just pull out now and concentrate on home security, because the Al Qaeda will hit the US and EU from behind their backs when they are looking elsewhere.
GWB should read the "Art of War" or better still consult me for the best methods on dealing with the enemy.
Haste makes waste.
Posted by
Orikinla Osinachi. |
Friday, August 12, 2005 12:30:00 PM
Great post. The Art of War is a great book -- a philosophical and strategic guide for everyday life. Supposedly this book is part of the curriculum at military colleges and even business schools.
But you wouldn't know it judging by America's foreign policy. The dumbest thing any country can do is think "they'll be easy to conquer because we're bigger than them," or because "their country is in turmoil and they won't be able to fight back."
Complacency and not knowing anything about your enemy -- hmmm, Viet Nam, Iraq (and God knows who's next).
Posted by
Tom Harper |
Friday, August 12, 2005 1:42:00 PM
good post Bulldog. Sun-Tzu knew his stuff and to argue against his ideas is an exhibition of foolishness.
Posted by
tomawesome |
Friday, August 12, 2005 3:54:00 PM
i don't think has even read the Sunday comics let alone ancient philosophies like The Art of War.
another good read is Mushashi's Book of Five Rings. Both let the reader understand the philosophies of other cultures, cultures so different from our own that to fight or be friends both take some extra effort.
Good post Bulldog.
As for Flo...go back to Mel's Diner and let your wing nut pals "Kiss Your Grits."
Posted by
Ken Grandlund |
Friday, August 12, 2005 5:27:00 PM
>>Ironically, Osama bin Laden has read SUN TZU!<<
I'm so proud of the man I've never voted for. *sigh*
Does GWB read anything?
Posted by
taughnee |
Friday, August 12, 2005 9:21:00 PM
Great post, bulldog.
There is one clear answer here to who the "enemy" is. It's the LIBERALS.
Pulling out now would be an admission that we were right all along.
Posted by
Brad |
Friday, August 12, 2005 10:50:00 PM
Yeah, let's just cut and run and wait in abject fear for the next shoe to drop. Jeez...why don't you liberals get it?
Posted by
No BS |
Friday, August 12, 2005 10:56:00 PM
no bs,
Maybe because we dont live in "abject fear" like you and others on the Right.
Posted by
The Bulldog Manifesto |
Saturday, August 13, 2005 2:08:00 AM
At least someone here knows what's going on!?
Posted by
Bloghead |
Saturday, August 13, 2005 3:49:00 AM
Well, this is interesting. What would a not-brainwashed rant site look like. Would it be pro or con the government? Would it criticize or just go along happily? Should critical views not be repeated?
Oh, and I just have to ask this - i'm not american, so I actually want to be informed: since "liberal" is sometimes used as an abusive word by non-liberals, what exactly does the opposite of "liberal" consist of? Would it be: "persone who does not want other people to live as theylike, but rather decide for them that they cannot e.g. marry someone of the same sex or not say prayers in schools, because it would be boring to just mind the own business and it gives more pleasure to mind other people's, since their doing distract my life very much".
Sorry, i couldn't help myself.
Posted by
Ref |
Saturday, August 13, 2005 5:20:00 AM
This whole thread proves how brainwashed the right in America really is. It's been a crime to be too lefty since McCarthy, and that's a crying shame.
But perhaps the really important point is that realise can be spelt with an "s" in British English. ;-)
Posted by
fruey |
Saturday, August 13, 2005 6:08:00 AM
Detroit is filled with radical libs and mu slimes.
THE ENEMIES!
Posted by
OTTMANN |
Saturday, August 13, 2005 11:10:00 AM
ottmann,
You need serious help.
Posted by
The Bulldog Manifesto |
Saturday, August 13, 2005 11:21:00 AM
But more importantly, Sun Tzu stated:
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." Art of War, at III:18. (Emphasis Added.)
Unfortunately, our President does not know his enemy.
Well said, Bulldog.
Posted by
Martian Anthropologist |
Saturday, August 13, 2005 2:35:00 PM
I often wonder why more Conservatives don't get on Bush's case for being in business and bed with the House of Saud. After all, for years the HoS has supported and harbored terrorists. Even today, most of what they do against terrorism seems forced or, more likely, like a terrible joke. Bush never says anything bad to the Sauds and he never does anything that might threaten them. Why is that? Can it be that Bush wants the war to continue? I am starting to wonder if invading Saudia Arabia might not have been a better fight in the WoT than invading Iraq.
Posted by
Unadulterated Underdog |
Saturday, August 13, 2005 8:36:00 PM
But honestly ,since for this new world order, American Christians, Israeli Jews, and Saudi Muslims are working so closely together as they are doing now, there is hope in this world for brotherhood !
Posted by
Anonymous |
Saturday, August 13, 2005 11:49:00 PM
I'm sorry..."non existent enemy"? I guess its the American troops that are killing all the Iraqis. Bad troops!
Posted by
Craig R. Harmon |
Sunday, August 14, 2005 1:38:00 AM
Craig,
Could there be an insurgency without an occupyiing force? By it's very nature, there is no insurgency without an occupation.
If our country was occupied, you and I would be out fighting in an "insurgency" against the occupying army. Many of those people who are fighting us in Iraq are only doing so because we are there...not because they are simply evil people.
When you hit a hornet's nest with a stick, be prepared for the sting. The hornets are not evil per se, they just don't appreciate being f'ed with.
Posted by
The Bulldog Manifesto |
Sunday, August 14, 2005 2:18:00 AM
It is common knowledge here in Iraq that over 90% of the "insurgents" are not actually Iraqi born or even live here. They are from all parts of the Middle East trying to dissuade the newly formed government and its citizens. The "enemy" may be elusive, but still he is here. We are doing our best to rid as many insurgents as possible while helping the peaceful process of a free Iraq. We work hand in hand with the Iraqi Army and they are cleaning up their own country with our help. I have a question for all of you. Have you had the opportunity to talk with a citizen of Iraq? I am sure you would be surprised to hear some of their views. To say all of Iraq loves us would be a farce. But to say no one wants us here is also a farce. Our brave men and women are helping them to achieve something they have not seen in many decades, a free Iraq. Once the government ratifies their constitution and their Army takes over duties, we will come home. This will not turn into another Germany or Bosnia. I respect your views along with everyone elses Buldog, but their is always two sides to a story.
Posted by
gigotti |
Sunday, August 14, 2005 10:47:00 AM
A very well written and thoughtful post, bulldog. And the question you raise about knowing who your enemy is an important one. However, I draw a different conclusion than you. We do have have enemies, and we do not understand them. If we leave Iraqi it will not change the fact that we have enemies, and they will come after us. Because we understand that much, we need to deal with them. Winning their minds rather than defeating them on the battle field is our most important objective. This can be done. Don't be so quick to throw in the towel. Every step backward is a step forward for them. The enemy considers us Satan. Rhey don't understand us either.
Posted by
B O B |
Sunday, August 14, 2005 12:58:00 PM
gigotti,
Please don't be a stranger around here. I would love to hear more from you and other military men and women. I've read Operation Truth, and talked with a bunch of guys who've returned from Iraq (at my local gym). The views have always varied. Gotta run right now...be back later.
Thanks again!
TBM
Posted by
The Bulldog Manifesto |
Sunday, August 14, 2005 3:04:00 PM
octavo - Blogging isn't exactly hard work. And it's easy to rant at someone who is doing something... but I see no solutions being offered. Just like you said, it's real easy to trash someone else's work - a la Bush, a la the armed forces.
So what is the solution? Forget the why's of why we are there - let's look at the situation before us, shall we? What is the solution? Do we simply walk away and let the country implode and let another country become home to an oppressive theocracy? Do we let it become another dictatorship? I mean, we see how kindhearted Saddam and his Sunni buddies were, don't we? Can you count to 300,000?
And while quoting Sun Tzu is all nice and well, do you really understand what it is saying? If we are to keep our friends close and our enemies closer still, how do we do that if we leave?
Posted by
wopanese |
Sunday, August 14, 2005 8:39:00 PM
well spotted fruey. but i think it's more important to realise that the point isnt that realise "can be" spelled with an 's' in british (correct) english, rather that it IS ALWAYS AND ONLY spelled with an 's'.
great site bulldog...keep up the truth speaking...somebody needs to.
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