RANGER AGAINST WAR: Term Limits <

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Term Limits

We do not keep the outward form of order,
Where there is deep disorder in the mind

--Merchant of Venice
, I, ii, Shakespeare
_____________________

Counter Terrorism is today's watchword, the Alpha and the Omega of all things Terrorism. We have even consecrated two endless wars to the concept . . . but is this logical?

Terrorism is a limited threat to our national security, but it has become a detractor, distracting from the real survival issues facing the United States. While Counterterrorism (CT) is a sound concept, it is only one-half of a balanced protective posture. Everything that is done to address terrorism is NOT Counterterrorism.


Counterterrorism encompasses all of the active measures emplaced to neutralize a terrorist threat. This includes assault teams and active operations directly aimed at operational terrorist assets. These programs may be tactical or strategic, and their effectiveness is limited by our definition of the programs.


CT used to be only one side of the coin (COIN); Terrorism Counteraction (TC/A) was the balance to the equation. TC/A used to be Department of Defense policy before everything morphed into CT, a conflation which misconstrues the nature of the threat. We have now created a farrago of guerrilla war (GW), unconventional war (UW) and civil disobedience, calling the unholy trinity TERRORISM, which is not always factual.


An example would be an IED in theatre, which is usually described as a terrorist incident if occurring in Afghanistan, Iraq or any OCONUS location occupied by U.S. troops. In reality, the IED is a UW/GW event misrepresented as terrorism; while the detonation caused terror, it was not terrorism.


TC/A is the pro-active aspect of a program aimed at countering terrorism. It is aimed at lessening the likelihood of a terror group initiating actions against an entity, whether that be an Army base, a state or a nation. TC/A assumes that we are on friendly terrain and control the territiry we physically occupy.


In a UW/GW environment TC/A is applicable but more difficult to evaluate and execute. TC/A is program-oriented and simple, enlisting things such as roadblocks, random patrolling, vehicle stops and checks, I.D. checks, population and resource control (PRC) and all other programs that were historically adapted to Internal Defense and Development (IDAD). The screenings at airports are akin to roadblocks on the approaches to Saigon.


TC/A are preventative measures aimed at breaking up or hindering the movement and success of terror groups. When these same programs are used in theatre they are classic PRC.
The point is, not everything in the playbook is CT. We ignore the panoply of TC/A measures to our detriment, for the expected results of a strict CT approach are rather meager.

When we fail to articulate or clearly define the problem, how can we expect anything of value from the expenditures of our effort and resources? Our emphasis is is on "kinetic" direct action and CT at the expense of the less sexy TC/A. Such an imbalanced approach is based upon counteracting free-floating anxiety and fear, versus realistic, long-term appraisals. We should re-emphasize randomness and realistic evaluation of threat levels.

The CT program does not succeed in its current incarnation
because it is neither complementary nor synergistic.

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9 Comments:

Anonymous Blakenator said...

Ranger, if you are talking about our middle east adventures, I submit that invading a country without bothering to learn the language or the customs, installing a puppet government, and regularly killing and insulting the locals is a clue. What I consider to be a much greater problem is the newfound "concern" over "domestic" terrorism. The war on some drugs and the over hyped "terrorist" thread have given the "authorities" a great excuse to install a police state here in the good ol' USofA. Try researching the militarization of our law enforcement at all levels. Hell, the standard practice for almost any "emergency" in schools is a lock-down. The kids are already trained to rag out their parents and each other. The "zero tolerance" policy is designed to shield officials from actually having to justify anything.
I love your blog, but we truly do live in interesting times.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 4:44:00 PM GMT-5  
Blogger rangeragainstwar said...

Blake,
I have an upcoming piece-yet to be written -on the use of espionage laws to thwart whistle blowers, and the use of Terrorism statutes to prosecute simple criminals.
You can always send some wine to keep me writing.
jim

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 5:29:00 PM GMT-5  
Blogger Ghost Dansing said...

we're so sanctimonious about terror.... what deliberate violent action does not have intrinsic intended effect of fear and terror? terrorism in its most extreme form is theater, practices by the weak against the strong, and the strong against the weak.... crucifixion was an act of State terrorism. shock 'n awe baby.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 6:25:00 PM GMT-5  
Blogger Underground Carpenter said...

Jim,

Not to detract from your excellent and serious post on counter-terrorism, but...
Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb.

And thanks for the carpenter-friendly acronyms.


Dave

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 7:39:00 PM GMT-5  
Blogger rangeragainstwar said...

GD,
In my world Terrorism and the violence there of , whether individual or state , goes beyond the target to reach an audience- for whatever purpose.
jim

Thursday, June 23, 2011 at 9:35:00 AM GMT-5  
Blogger Lisa said...

GD,

You hit on the difference between terrorism and crime when you ask, "what deliberate violent action does not have intrinsic intended effect of fear and terror?"

Violence may leave observers or victims "terrified", but terror is often just a byproduct. Violence itself does not posses an "intrinsic intended effect" of fear. Sometimes, the goal of a violent act is simply to perpetrate violence upon the victim. The effect of terror is neither intrinsic to the act, the perpetrator nor the victim.

Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar.


Dave,

I love the absurdity of that clip :)

Thursday, June 23, 2011 at 10:09:00 AM GMT-5  
Blogger rangeragainstwar said...

Dave,
Go sit in the friggin' corner.
My essay was about Terrorism Counter Action.
All the other heroes write about CT.
I'm gonna submit the paperwork to send you to the re education camp.
jim

Thursday, June 23, 2011 at 10:13:00 AM GMT-5  
Blogger Underground Carpenter said...

Jim,

I've already attended the government indoctrination camps, and in 12 years all I learned was where the corner was. Spent lots of time there.

Dave

Thursday, June 23, 2011 at 11:03:00 AM GMT-5  
Blogger Lisa said...

G.D.,

p.s. -- what a little world we have:
I am certain that a friend who lives in San Fran was in the front row of that Cramps vid you sent recently. He's kind of big in Japan (really!), and can be found in our sidebar (The Gray Report -- he writes on wine.)

You may want to chk. him out.

Thursday, June 23, 2011 at 3:05:00 PM GMT-5  

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