At the center of the universe in Tampa
Dateline: SWA flights from Tampa through BWI to Providence, 14 July 2004
Last of four days with Special Operations Command, where our “experts” group briefs out our first workshop’s worth of ideas on strategy in the Global War on Terrorism to the command. Not a bad start, and the senior leadership seems happy with the broader perspective we’ve brought to the problem set. We leave with a set of questions to work on over coming months and a promise to reconvene again back down in Tampa sometime before the end of the year. I don’t think we did any harm, and I think we opened up a few minds—including all of our own as we encountered one another in this diverse array of expertise.
It was sort of odd, because I had as much or more experience of working with the military than anyone else in the group save one, and that’s not usually how it works for me. Typically, I’m more the idea hamster in a fairly military audience, whereas here I was more the voice of reason and practicality from the military perspective. Over the course of the four days, I said my peace but didn’t exactly push my agenda because I knew I was the only person there who actually had a grand strategic package of ideas for the future of U.S. military power already sitting in the staff’s hands in the form of the book.
Of course, with a distinguished crew like this, we’re talking about everyone having a book (or books) or some series of reports/studies, but I was the only one with a comprehensive approach looking at the world from the Pentagon out, meaning something that talked structure of forces and command, operational and strategic applications, and the enunciation of a grand strategy, within which the Global War on Terrorism is but a minor subset. So for me, at least, the discussion of how to wage and win a GWOT was awfully narrow, because I don’t see the world revolving around al Qaeda, or the number one strategic goal of the United States being either the killing of terrorists or the prevention of more terrorists from joining the fight. To me, those are tactical realities and operational guidelines—not a serious component of a grand strategy.
That’s not to say I didn’t learn a ton about terrorists, terrorism, and the Middle East in this workshop, because I did. I also learned a lot about the GWOT’s parameters and potential pathways, but not to the extent that I came away from the experience consumed by its vision. There will always be terrorists, and we will always be fighting them (as we have in the past). At some points in this conflict those struggles will appear to take center stage, operationally speaking, but never strategically speaking. The strategic agenda is really one of shrinking the Gap and making globalization truly whole, and eliminating those who stand—ready to employ violence—in the path of that historical unfolding does not constitute the bulk of that strategy nor define it in any meaningful way. It is merely a crucial task. The progressive integration of the Gap is far more ambitious and complex a series of tasks than the GWOT will ever become, even as we casually employ that phrase as a poor descriptor of the overarching goal we truly seek.
My personal inputs to the final outbrief were all ones I’ve used in mass media appearances on in this weblog, with the exception being my specific advice on the institutional challenges that inevitably lie ahead for Special Operations Command as the GWOT unfolds.
I may get back and give the brief to select people in SOCOM prior to the end-of-year second workshop, but I’m sure I’ll be doing it for Central Command sometime this fall. Right after the outbrief to the Deputy Commander of SOCOM, I was whisked away to CENTCOM’s headquarters, also at MacDill AFB, for a quick meeting with quartet of senior officers in the policy and planning division. To say the least, that was a fascinating discussion. Almost immediately I find myself deep into the material I know will constitute the Son of PNM, and I can’t wait to get back there for more conversations and—hopefully—the right briefing audience. Of course, if anyone in the U.S. military has their hair on fire 24/7, it’s these guys, what with both Afghanistan and Iraq in their area of responsibility, plus Egypt, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Israel-PA, Iran, and Pakistan. If that’s not the center of the pol-mil universe right now, I don’t know what is.
Coming out of a series of meetings like that is pretty heady stuff. I’ve never met such senior people into two commands like that all in one trip, much less one morning. All I can say is two things: 1) PNM is finding an audience in all the right places in MacDill; and 2) these are some of the best people you’ll ever meet in this business—sharp as tacks, honest about what they know and don’t know, and as self-aware of the world around them as you could ask for. We really do have the best military leadership in the history of the world.
Notice I don’t say political leadership, not that that’s my main point . . ..
But a day like today makes me think it simply will never be possible for me to ever get out of this business entirely—or at least for any great length of time. The work is too important, the people are too good, and the historical stakes are simply too high to ignore. At this point I really should never again complain that my career didn’t get a chance to unfold at an important juncture of world history.
Long delays on my flights home mean I have time to explore plenty of articles today.
Here’s the catch:
Targeting the at-risk-of-terrorism population
“Saudi militant on video gives up: Bin Laden aide may help track him down,” by Barbara Slavin, USA Today, 14 July, p. 1A.
The back half of regime change: not easy for UN either
“Kosovo Report Criticizes Rights Progress by U.N. and Local Leaders,” by Nicholas Wood, New York Times, 14 July, p. A5.
Helping a country of AIDS-orientation
“Early Tests for U.S. in Its Global Fight on AIDS,” by Deborah Sontag, Sharon Lafraniere and Michael Wines, NYT, 14 July, p. A1.
Billionaire’s trial: Russia both jittery and settling down
“Billionaire’s trial unsettles Russian’s economy: Investors, business leaders have serious case of jitters,” by Bill Nichols, USA, 14 July, p. 10B.
Europe exporting some rule sets of its own?
“European gay-union trends influence U.S. debate: Lawmakers look to other nations,” by Noelle Knox, USA, 14 July, p. 5A.
That time of year for the long-term survivor
“Efforts Mount to Make Cancer Treatment Less Toxic: New Drugs Aim to Reduce Side Effects of Chemotherapy; Protecting a Child’s Hearing,” by Amy Dockser Marcus, Wall Street Journal, 14 July, p. D1.