We are facing a multi-faceted enemy. In dealing with the Islamic facet, the schwerpunkt(en) is/are glaringly obvious. While it would not instantaneously effective, dealing with 23 discreet targets would cause the collapse of militant [and non-militant] Islam; albeit the tonic-clonic contractions of the movement would be downright untidy for some time. [The number will grow, the longer we delay.] A secondary strategy of ending dependence on Middle Eastern oil with a concommitent lack of necessity for us to preserve their production capacity in the aftermath would be a form of longer term action to prevent a recurrence.

However, the ability to go for the Schwerpunkt(en) will be totally dependent on a return to rationality in our own political system and decision making. The road to striking the enemy center of gravity goes through Washington, DC as surely as the Marines had to go through the Central Pacific island chains or Patton’s Third Army had to go across the Rhine.

If we are in an existential fight to win, as opposed to fighting not to be blamed for our defeat; it will require a degree of pragmatism, taking sides [our own], and cold-blooded realism not evident at all in the PC-addled, self-absorbed, decadent, metrosexual fops that run our political/educational/media system ….. of both parties. Absent a return to reality in our own country, there will be no further war, at least by our side. Because our self-described “elites” would rather lose than soil their hands and dignity by fighting for survival. There is much in common between them, and the upper classes in Rome at any time after say 250 CE, or any of the upper classes in any of China’s Imperial dynasties during the reign of the last emperor of the dynasty. Too effete except to live by exploiting or betraying their own people.

We must master the works of Thomas Paine and perhaps Theodore Roosevelt before we can master those of Mahan and Clausewitz.

Subotai Bahadur