I’m tempted to say, “Congratulations, Mr. Woodward, you have discovered the principle of the Objective.”

As far as I can tell, the “new weapon” is: systematically bringing all possible force to bear on the objective of destroying the command structure and high-value assets of the enemy.

The fruits of social science research, and electronic data collection and reporting, allowed this principle to be applied comprehensively even to a diffused target. That’s the big news: something like the kind of concentration of force that an armored corps can put on an opposing armored corps, can now be put on a terrorist/guerrilla force by fast-reacting infantry and special forces. Think about that for a minute.

The Surge was the knockout blow, but it was just part of “all possible force,” set up by the numerous jabs and combinations that preceded it.