Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Quick reading for later

2 articles to pass along this afternoon - one on IED social networks, and another on the futility of fighting an asymmetrical opponent with a conventional force:

The discussion proceeded apace until I threw out a basic question: "Why would we even consider fighting an asymmetric situation with conventional forces?"
This was met by silence.
There was similar silence for the solution offered: that we shun, in its entirety, the employment of conventional forces against an asymmetric threat. Instead, we seize back the initiative and use similar tactics to the opposition's, which are better suited to the operational environment. In short, we use unconventional forces against unconventional forces. Not one particular kind, but the full panoply of outfits, such as the British Special Air Service, Canada's Joint Task Force 2 and U.S. Army Rangers. They would engage with long-range patrols, commando raids and airmobile raids. The key point is that we would engage with anything other than visible boots on the ground.

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