Achieving Total War Goals With a Limited War Force: Convincing the Enemy to Accept Defeat

摘要

Carl von Clausewitz, in his monumental work, On War, stated that in order to defeat an enemy, a military force must destroy both his means and his will to resist. Destroying an enemy's means to resist is quantifiable and can be done through superiority in numbers, firepower, and attrition. However, defeating an enemy's will to resist is not measurable and cannot be guaranteed through superior firepower or strength. Therefore, victory in war can be measured by not only how much of an enemy's means to resist is destroyed, but also by how much his will to resist is shattered. This monograph concludes that currently in Iraq, the United States is seeking a total war solution with a limited war force structure and mindset. The US is attempting to defeat the enemy's will to resist without the sustained passion of the people and without the total focus of the government. In order to achieve the desired results in Iraq, interagency coordination must be strengthened. The US military can solely and successfully conduct Phase III of an operation, which focuses on destroying an enemy's means to resist. However, Phase IV must be an interagency process if the US seeks to defeat an enemy's will to resist.