... and done that. A guy who knows the limits of this kind of "bomb em diplomacy" all too well.
MSNBC military analyst Colonel Jack Jacobs sits down with Alex Witt
February 10, 2013
Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Jack Jacobs tells MSNBC’s Alex Witt about the devastating effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on U.S. troops after and the difference between fighting in Vietnam like he did and fighting wars today. Alex and the Colonel start their conversation talking about the use of drones in the fight against terrorism.
link to video
My partial transcript, is over the virtual fold ...
Alex Witt: [...] But first, I asked the Colonel about the use of drones in the fight against terrorism.
Colonel Jack Jabobs: Well it's extremely successful, if what the objective is to destroy the infrastructure of the Taliban and al-Qaeda, ... by identifying the enemy on the ground through various means of gathering intelligence, and them blowing them up.
You know what the Military establishment does very, very well -- is to destroy people and property. If you want stuff blown up -- you want people killed -- we're the guys to talk to.
But if you want 'political objectives' achieved; If you want 'economic objectives' achieved -- the Military establishment is NOT the right people to turn to.
So to the extent that we able to destroy enemy troops we've identified; destroy enemy facilities like training camps and so on -- use the drones -- great. Bomb em, sure, you bet.
But if what we're tying to achieve is: 'stable government in Afghanistan', who has control of the majority of the area, ... we're not going to do that -- the Military is not the people to do that.
Do we use the 'Economic instrument of power' adequately? NO.
Do we use the 'Dipolmatic instrument of power' adequately? NO.
Do we integrate all 3 of these: Military, Economic, and Diplomatic, in a seamless fabric of the 'use of American Power worldwide', to achieve specific objectives and goals, in various places around the world? NO!
We don't do that. We're terrible at that.
We're terrible at the 'Economic instrument,' ... at the use of the 'Dipolmatic instrument,' and at weaving all 3 of them -- We don't have Policy, actually.
We have short-term Objectives -- and that's why most of the time, if it seems like we are turning to the 'Military instrument of power' to achieve those Objectives, it's because the Military is the only guys who know what they're doing.
Alex Witt: What about PTSD -- is it worse now than in past wars? And if so, Why?
Colonel Jack Jabobs: [... listen to the clip ... find out why it's worse now.]
Wow. That's some direct stark talk.
SO ... the Military, Economic, and Diplomatic instruments of power need to woven together into a seamless fabric called the 'use of American Power worldwide.'
Together they would form a cohesive multi-pronged Foreign Policy (like that old 3-legged stool concept).
AND -- according to this Military guy, who's seen the reality of war, up close and personal (in Vietnam) -- in this current War on Terror, we are NOT doing that.
WELL, Maybe we should start ... eh?
As I always say, Building Bridges is way more constructive, than dropping Bombs.
Teaching a nation, to grow their own Economy, way more productive than helping Corporations exploit them. Generation, after rebel generation.
Maybe we should start ... you know, actually start building those bridges?
(Starting with, the ones we blew up.)