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Defense Reform: Walk Softly and Carry a Big Stick
March 31, 2003
by Bill Collier
Walk softly, and carry a big stick! This is the general concept of our
defense policy, a policy which has provided the Swiss with well over 100
years of peace.
It was once asked, "why did the Germans not invade Switzerland in World War
Two?" Have you ever seen men carry a tank up a mountain? The Swiss did not
needlessly provoke their aggressive neighbor, and really who can blame them,
but they did not hold back at all in the area of their own defense.
I have in my library a book that was written in 1941. It is an instruction
manual on guerilla warfare which anticipated that the Swiss would be
attacked. As von Clausewitz said, "he who tries to hold everywhere, loses
everywhere". The Swiss were prepared to withdraw to the mountain fastness of
the alps, stocking fortresses with huge amounts of arms, ammo, and
provisions but leaving behind the enemy's lines an army of saboteurs and
guerillas unlike any other in history.
Had the Germans invaded the Swiss they would have been bled white. In short,
the potential cost to the Germans would have been too great to justify the
potential gains.
While we realize that America cannot completely mimic the Swiss model for
self defense it is a model which we can learn greatly from.
The Swiss model has a few key elements:
1) the forces are largely self-reliant and the logistics tail is reduced to
manageable proportions. We have 250,000 troops in the Persian Gulf on the
ground, but only 90,000 are combat personnel. This ratio of combat personnel
to support personnel is the most lavish in the world and adds immeasurably
to our costs, manpower needs, and of course supply needs. The Swiss strive
for almost the exact opposite, with at best 30-40 percent of their personnel being
"support personnel".
2) power projection forces are ready to respond to crisis at home and
abroad. The Swiss have airmobile units, often deployed on peacekeeping
missions. Going on such missions not only belies the Swiss commitment to
world peace but also keeps their forces sharp. Surprisingly to many the
Swiss Army has, statistically, one of the highest ratios of combat
experienced troops to inexperienced troops in the world. While the US has
great power projection capability our logistics tail is such that deployment
of credible forces can be very cumbersome and time consuming.
3) reliance on technology is great with an emphasis on force multipliers.
The Swiss depend on highly trained, motivated, and superbly equipped forces.
They do not have a large population so the professional forces they do
employ must be very capable. The US 4th Infantry Division is the only fully
equipped 21st century fighting force we have. Its use of technology gives it
a force multiplier that is unbelievable. Such lean forces with such high
technology are the power projection forces of the next century. Making them
more mobile and reducing their logistics tail are vital to making them more
readily available.
4) use of national guard or reserve components on the home front allows the Swiss
to have a small full-time force which can rapidly expand to almost three
times its size in a few days. Utilizing such a system, again while reducing
that excessive logistics tail, would allow for a US military force that
could triple its size in a few days. It will also allow for local
mobilization in the case of terror attacks or alerts.
Without over burdening the reader with details it will suffice for now to
say that our policy on defense reform is to develop a 21st century fighting
force that has the following main features:
1) only 30-50 percent of all personnel will be support personnel.
2) the use of airships (quicker then merchant vessels) and aircraft
increasing the mobility of small but powerfully equipped, ultra-modern
fighting units to maintain a strong force projection capability that can put
three armored divisions anywhere in the world within 7 days and ready to
roll.
3) a revamping of the military to utilize force multiplying technology to
the maximum potential with a strong commitment to defense research and
development and the maintenance of a strong defense industry that can
quickly, as needed, increase its output.
4) restructuring of the national guard to include largely self contained
units which are maintained by a 10 percent of personnel full-time staff. US Forces
will then have 1 regular unit for 2 guard or reserve units. NO function for
regular operations will be handled solely by any reserve or Guard unit so
that the regular military is completely self reliant for all its needs and
would only utilize the reserve or guard units in a national crisis.
5) the creation of a "peace force" for volunteers who are willing to serve
in peacekeeping operations under UN or other auspices. This force would be
specifically designed, trained, and equipped for peacekeeping operations and
would rotate in and out regular military personnel who wish to serve therein
as well as volunteers who would serve in logistics/support, security and
policing, and civil affairs. NO regular or reserve/guard unit would serve in
such operations unless the interests of the US are directly affected.
6) creation of a civil defense force under the control of the Secretary of
Homeland Security when mobilized but serving in the capacity of a reserve
component for Sheriff's Department duties on a regular basis. These forces
would also be mobilized by the President, if need be, to support regular US
military units in the event of a direct attack on the United States and
could serve in the rear areas of overseas deployments to provide security
and emergency response services to the troops in the field.
7) development of low cost naval vessels which have small crews but a big
punch, such as smaller AIP powered submarines to provide fleet ASW
protection, "street sweeper" Fast Attack Craft which can be air lifted by
airships to deal with medium to low level threats that do not require the
use of major assets or in areas where an immediate presence is required
until such assets can be located there.
8) a strong emphasis on technologies that remove the enemy's will to fight
or ability to resist without causing any loss of human life; so-called "non
lethal" technologies such as the e-bomb or precision-guided munitions that
take out systems and not people.
What America needs is a fighting force that is best suited to the needs and
possibilities of the 21st century. By taking this approach we truly can
"walk softly and carry a big stick
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