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STRATFOR.com
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Ground War Strategies Part 1: Grand Strategy
November 5, 2001
Summary
After more than a month of bombings, Washington is now contemplating the second phase of the campaign in Afghanistan. Having achieved air superiority, the military must move to a strategic ground offensive. This week, STRATFOR will examine what options the United States -- as well as its enemies -- may pursue as part of a ground strategy in Afghanistan.
Map Credits:
Copyright Tim Hannan, 2000
Created for GG214, Geography of War
Professor: Gunthram Herb
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
Analysis
The battle between the United States and al Qaeda, with the first attacks and counterattacks over, is settling into the extended warfare most reasonable people expected it to be. The Sept. 11 attacks hurt the United States but did not cripple it. The U.S. counterattack has similarly hurt the Taliban but has not crippled it either.
Certainly nothing that is happening in Afghanistan has eliminated the capabilities of al Qaeda inside the United States. Each side played its first card. More cards remain to be played.
There have never been two more dissimilar fighting forces than those of the United States and al Qaeda. Both have global capabilities, but these capabilities are utterly different. Al Qaeda's strength derives from pure stealth. It is a special operations force designed to survive by disappearing into the surrounding society and then, at the time and place of its choosing, strike suddenly. U.S. strength derives from its overwhelming technology, which allows America to strike where and when it wants. Both sides enjoy extraordinary freedom of action -- for very different reasons -- yet neither appears able to match its armed forces to its political aims.
(The Rest of the Story)
(c) 2001 Stratfor, Inc.
Dan
Ground War Strategies Part 1: Grand Strategy . . .