Alfred.
Don't disagree with your view that the military exists solely to achieve a political aim.
I also don't disagree that hearts and minds help greatly in winning the war but you can achieve hearts and minds without tying one hand behind the soldiers back - the SAS have done it on numerous occasions. That's not to say changing the ROE so less long range arty and Fast Air / CAS on houses and families is not good to achieve the hearts and minds but a blanket ban that costs soldiers lives ???????
I have yet to talk to people who have been there or read any of the books written by people that has them shooting the crap out of everything and anything. Soldiers and commanders are trained professionals, not shoot em up video game specialists.
Why train an army to fight if you then don't use that assett when you, the Politician starts the war ? Might as well train UN peace keepers to start with.
MG Cantwell has seen enough wars around the world to make a good judgement I think.
Re No Easy Day, have a read around page 140 / 141 re the gradual changes made to ROE that made it harder and harder to do the job.
I think we will just have to agree to disagree on this one.
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