[mainekitchen] Really!
- From: Josef Jurkiewicz <josef_jurkiewicz@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "mainekitchen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <mainekitchen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 05:15:50 -0800 (PST)
Obama is 'chronically incapable' of military strategy and 'clueless about what
he wants to do in the world' according to top UK defense adviser
* Sir Hew Strachan, an advisor to the UK's Chief of the Defence Staff
has heavily criticized President Obama
* The Oxford University professor believes that the president is
incapable of choosing a military strategy
* Writing in his new book The Direction of War Strachan says that Obama
pales compared to his predecessor President George W. Bush
* Also heavily attacks British Prime Minister David Cameron
By JAMES NYE
PUBLISHED: 20:35 EST, 15 January 2014 | UPDATED: 21:50 EST, 15 January 2014
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President Obama has been judged to be 'chronically incapable' of conducting a
coherent military strategy and 'has no sense of what he wants to do in the
world', according to Oxford University professor, Sir Hew Strachan - one of the
UK's most respected and senior military advisers.
The damning verdict from a governmental insider of the United States' closest
military ally comes days after the president was heavily criticized by his own
former Defense Secretary Robert Gates who said that Obama was indecisive and
lacked any passion for his nation's armed forces.
Claiming that America and Britain had committed total strategic failure in
their near decade-long Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns, Strachan said that the
recent failed attempts to intervene militarily on behalf of Syrian rebels 'has
left them in a far worse position than they were before.'
U.S. President Barack Obama applauds retiring Defense Secretary Robert Gibbs in
2011 - Gibbs has lambasted his former boss in his new memoir and called him
indecisive and far from passionate about the military
Strachan is currently a member of the United Kingdom's Chief of Defence Staff's
Strategic Advisory Panel and claims that the 'crazy' mismanagement of the
Syrian crisis at the end of the summer was the worst example of the military
planning in evidence since 9/11 and that at least President George W. Bush had
a plan and stuck to it.
Stern views: Professor Sir Hew Strachan of Oxford University has been sharply
critical of the United States, President Obama and Britain's strategic planning
since 9/11 in his new book The Direction of War
'If anything it’s gone backwards instead of forwards, Obama seems to be almost
chronically incapable of doing this,' said Strachan.
'Bush may have had totally fanciful political objectives in terms of trying to
fight a global War on Terror, which was inherently astrategic, but at least he
had a clear sense of what he wanted to do in the world.
'Obama has no sense of what he wants to do in the world,' he said according to
the Daily Beast.
Even worse still, Strachan believes that Western indecision over whether or not
to launch limited action against President Bashar al-Assad strengthened the
Syrian leader and undermined the United States' power and reputation.
'What he’s done in talking about Red Lines in relation to Syria has actually
devalued the deterrent effect of American military capability and it seems to
me that creates an unstable situation, because if he were act it would surprise
everybody,' he said.
'I think the other issue is that in starting and stopping with Assad, he’s left
those who might be his natural allies in Syria with nowhere to go. He’s
increased the likelihood that if there is a change of regime in Syria that it
will be an Islamic fundamentalist one.'
The verdicts reached by Strachan are published in his new book, The Direction
of War, which is to be released next month.
Decisive: U.S. President George W. Bush declares an end to major combat in Iraq
during a speech to crew aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln as the
carrier steamed toward San Diego, California, in this May 1, 2003 file photo
Dithering: United States President Barack Obama meets with members of his
national security team in the Situation Room of the White House
The book examines what Strachan sees as the failure of politicians to use
history and strategy to predict the implications of present or future military
actions.
Strachan, who is Oxford University's Professor of the History of War claims
that politicians and the public have become used to quick-fix wars that are
essentially an extension of policy.
More...
* Disgraced General David Petraeus should go back to Iraq to help curb
turmoil engulfing country, says John McCain
* Robert Gates says that Obama never welled up at a Medal of Honor
ceremony unlike George W. Bush as he criticizes his 'disturbing lack of passion'
* 'This is very, very bad': White House insider reveals how Obama was
'blindsided' by former defense secretary's damning allegations in explosive new
book
* Hillary Clinton and Obama admitted they opposed Iraq troop surge only
to look good politically, claims 'dismayed' former defense secretary Robert
Gates in damning new book
'Using war did deliver. The wars were pretty short, the Falklands, First Gulf
War, Kosovo, so people lulled themselves into an expectation that war was
simply a continuation of policy and that it was successful. But it hasn’t been
since 9/11,' he said.
Strachan believes that civilian politicians have become too controlling of
their military staff and leaders and do not allow them to give honest advice.
No action: Aleppo, Syria --- Residents search for survivors after what
activists said were air strikes by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar
al-Assad in the Maysar neighbourhood of Aleppo December 28, 2013
He is particularly critical of the sacking of General Stanley McCrystal after
he seemed to be disparaging about his commander-in-chief in a Rolling Stone
article.
'The concern about the military speaking out shows a lack of democratic and
political maturity. We’re not facing the danger of a military coup.
'The professional experts, who deal with war all the time, should be able to
express their views all the time, openly and coherently, just as you would
expect a doctor or a teacher to express their views coherently about how you
run medical policy or teaching policy,' he said.
Strachan does not keep his criticisms solely to President Obama.
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks in the House of Commons - where
he lost a crucial vote in August to take the UK to war against the regime of
President Bashar al-Assad of Syria
He says that British Prime Minster David Cameron's defeat in a parliamentary
vote to launch military action on Syria 'absolutely illustrated the failure to
think through the strategic implications of his own actions,' said Strachan.
Indeed, Strachan calls to mind the example of British wartime Prime Minister
Winston Churchill, a former soldier himself, who enjoyed frank and open
discussions with his military staff.
'Soldiers have a duty here as well—if they just say, ‘yes Mr. Prime Minister or
Mr. President, we can give you exactly what you want,’ then they’re probably
not being very honest.'
Read more:
* Senior UK Defense Advisor: Obama Is Clueless About ¿What He Wants To
Do In The World¿
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