No Way to Fight a War

"I'm always worried about using the word 'victory,' because, you know, it invokes this notion of Emperor Hirohito coming down and signing a surrender to MacArthur." - President Barack ObamaSeptember 2nd 1945, Emperor Hirohito's absence from the surrender ceremony notwithstanding, the end of the Second World War on this day aboard the USS Missouri marks the last time the United States and its allies achieved an unambiguous victory in war. Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq and Afghanistan represent four costly wars fought since this day in 1945. None of them represent a clear victory. All of them represent seriously flawed war strategies.No Way to Fight a War explores our drift from a full commitment to victory in war; how we lost our way; and, most importantly, how we find our way back before it's too late. It is a book in which groups as diverse as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Code Pink can find common ground. No Way to Fight a War is a "politically incorrect" accounting that challenges the conventional wisdom of the "elites" in both political parties. It is bound to rattle some cages and spark debates.Since WWII our leaders have systematically isolated the people from our wars, except for the bill.Failure to heed the simple rules set forth by an obscure British naval historian has resulted in an insane attempt to win "unlimited" wars by "limited" means.Congress has assigned itself war powers not intended by the framers of the Constitution. The decision making process regarding use of military force has been reduced to partisan political posturing that seriously undermines our ability to achieve victories.Congress has inflicted "politically correct" "social engineering" on the military that has dramatically compromised our ability to fight and win wars.The much vaunted "all volunteer force" no longer represents the traditional principles of "shared responsibility" and "shared sacrifice". The force is in danger of collapse due to misbegotten affirmative action policies and loss of proportional representation.Never before disclosed facts about current military recruitment points to a need to reevaluate our commitment to an all volunteer military.Our current adversaries are largely financed by a huge and complex narcotics trade. It is now time to reassess our strategy regarding the "War on Drugs" from the "demand" side rather than the "supply" side.