Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Obama, the offshore balancer
http://atimes.com/atimes/World/WOR-01-041113.htmlObama, the offshore balancer
Nov 4, '13
In Principles of War, Carl von Clausewitz states as his second rule governing strategy that a concentration of power against the enemy force is crucial to victory, as well as a willingness to suffer setbacks in strategically secondary engagements.
Many historical leaders have disregarded this principle and opted to commit important assets to sideshows of little strategic consequence. To the chagrin of Republicans, former US president George W Bush was one of them.
Phillip II had his Netherlands, Napoleon had his Portugal, Winston Churchill had his Gallipoli and the 43rd administration had the "global war on terror".
In this conflict, the elite of the US Army was bogged down in the Iraqi insurgency for the best part of a decade, with its intelligence distracted with such "vital" theatres as Afghanistan, Somalia or the Sahel.