| Small Wars Journal

The latest “Marine Corps” issue of Proceedings has another provocative article from Lt Col Noel Williams, USMC. The Next Wave: Assault Operations for a New Era (subscribers only) advises the Marine Corps and Navy to develop unmanned breacher vehicles (UBVs) to perform the first, most dangerous wave of an opposed amphibious assault. Earlier this year, Williams and Captain Henry Hendrix, USN controversially proposed phasing out big Nimitz and Ford-class CVNs in favor of a much greater number of America/Wasp-class LHA/LHDs. In his new essay, Williams is proposing a robotic replacement for the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), a project that collapsed in engineering overreach.

The EFV died because the Marine Corps expected it to do too many things. The anti-ship missile threat has pushed the launch point for an amphibious assault out to at least 25 miles from the land. The Marine Corps wanted the EFV to traverse this distance in one hour. On land, the EFV was to be a late-model infantry fighting vehicle, complete with chem-bio protection, able to take on other armored vehicles, network with others, and hopefully survive IEDs. It was an impossible engineering task, at least at an affordable price.

Williams proposes to let robots breach the beach obstacles. An excerpt:

In the 2020s and beyond there will simply be no reason to place 20 Marines in a steel box and drive them through mined waters to land on an area-denied beach. An unmanned breacher vehicle (UBV), or family of unmanned systems, could clear and mark the assault lanes ahead of any manned surface movement. These UBVs could be launched from surface, subsurface, or airborne delivery means—overtly or covertly. UBVs could be given large magnetic and acoustic signatures to trigger influence mines and could be equipped with cameras, remote gun systems, plows, cutters, and/or line charges to clear beach obstacles. Additionally, it would be possible to transition the UBV to convoy reconnaissance and clearing missions once manned vehicles are ashore.

Introducing an unmanned system breaks the tyranny of the hybrid vehicle that we have found to be so costly and that inevitably results in compromises in both operating domains—afloat and ashore.

Under this concept, once the robots have cleared the beach, non-armored but high-capacity landing craft such as LCACs LCUs, and other connectors could bring ashore all of the ground-only vehicles and equipment, such as tanks, the next-generation Marine Personnel Carrier (which could very well be like the Army’s Stryker), trucks, logistics, etc.

In summary, Williams describes the following general phases for an amphibious assault:

ISR
Shaping fires/advance force operations
Vertical (helicopter) assault of distributed teams
Unmanned surface assault
Surface assault
General off-load as required.

Without humans aboard, unmanned breaching vehicles could take many hours or even days to swim ashore. They could launch from much farther distances in a much wider area of ocean. And DARPA and others have already demonstrated the ability of unmanned vehicles to self-navigate and to move, communicate, and shoot.

Williams concludes his essay with a discussion of the problem of achieving fire/network superiority in the wider amphibious objective area in the modern era. It was this general problem that killed the EFV and would still need to be solved in order to make any opposed amphibious assault, including one by robots, a feasible endeavor.

Williams discusses the need for the Marines and Navy to locate and target the enemy’s sensor and guided munitions network before and after the surface assault. Breaking down the enemy’s battle network is partly, or even mostly, a battle to achieve superiority over the electro-magnetic spectrum. That task would take place during the first three phases listed above. It would be a task for air and naval precision fires and those air-delivered infantry teams performing distributed operations. And it is a phase that could last weeks or even months.

In the age of long-range guided munitions and their sensors, an opposed amphibious assault will look far different than Iwo Jima. Under this concept, precision air and naval fires, supported by distributed teams of Marines ashore, would wage a long attritional campaign against the enemy’s sensors and missiles. That would clear the way for the surface assault, which, with enough preparation, would ideally be largely permissive.

The Marine Corps is searching for a cheaper replacement for the EFV and a way to keep the opposed amphibious assault viable in the age of guided missiles. Williams’ beach assault robots are a helpful idea. But the bigger problem is achieving dominance over the enemy’s sensors and the electro-magnetic spectrum. Regardless of the landing craft, the Navy and the Marine Corps need a solution and a doctrine for that problem.

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November, 2011

Read more about November, 2011

Vol. 7, No. 11

1 November SWJ Roundup

US Naval Institute Daily - USNI

Real Clear World - RCP

Afghanistan

A Revised Strategy in Afghanistan - WP

US Hopes Regional Talks Will Stabilize Afghanistan - Reuters

Karzai Extends Condolences on US Deaths - NYT

Afghan Success Comes At High Price For Commander - NPR

3 UN Staffers Among 5 Killed in Afghan Attack - VOA

Deadly Car Bomb Blast in Kandahar - BBC

Attack Near UN Office Kills 5 in Afghanistan - AP

1-84 Field Artillery Trade Food for Weapons in Faryab - S&S

ISAF Operations Summary - AFPS

Trial Opens in Court-Martial of Soldier Tied to Afghan Killings - NYT

Soldier Admits War Trophies, Denies Part in Murder Plot - AP

SSGT Gibbs Admits Taking Fingers Off Afghans' Bodies - BBC

Pakistan

Deep Ties to Militant Network May Trump US Pressure - NYT

Afghans, Pakistan May Use Talks to Ease Tensions - Reuters

US Delegation to Attend ‘Water Dialogue’ in Pakistan - VOA

US Missiles Kill 4 in Pakistan - AP

Iraq

Iraq Arrests More in Wake of Tip About Coup - NYT

War By Other Means - Slate opinion

Syria

Arab League Awaits Syrian Response - VOA

After Libya, Syria Warns World Powers to Stay Away - AP

Syria Accused of Kidnapping 4 in Lebanon - NYT

Libya

US-Libya Citizen Chosen as Prime Minister - WP

Libya Names an Engineer as Premier - NYT

Libya’s NTC Elects New Interim Prime Minister - VOA

Libya Appoints Academic as New PM - BBC

Abdul Al-Raheem Al-Qeeb Elected Libya's Interim PM - Reuters

Libya Struggles to Create Army Out of Militias - WP

UN Concern over Libyan Weapons - BBC

NATO Chief in Libya as 7-Month Mission Ends - VOA

NATO Formally Ends Libya Campaign - WP

NATO Ends Victorious 7-Month Libya Campaign - AP

In Tripoli, NATO Chief Hails 'Free Libya' - Reuters

UN Urges Libyan Authorities to Control Weapons - AP

Clinton: ‘America’s Leadership is Essential’ - WP

Libya Militia 'Terrorizes' pro-Gaddafi Town of Tawargha - BBC

Niger: Saif al-Islam Gadhafi Would be Transferred Over to ICC - VOA

NATO's Success in Libya - IHT opinion

Leading From Behind - NYT opinion

Israel / Palestinians

UNESCO Grants Palestinians Full Membership - VOA

UNESCO Approves Full Membership for Palestinians - NYT

UNESCO Votes to Admit Palestine - WP

UNESCO Palestine Decision Sets Off US-UN Confrontation - LAT

US Cuts Off UNESCO Funding After Palestinian Vote - VOA

US Hits UNESCO with Funding Cut - BBC

US Cuts UNESCO Funding Over Palestinian Vote - AP

Egypt: Israel Delaying Expanding Gaza Offensive - AP

Gaza Militants Fire Rockets, Testing Truce - Reuters

Israel and the Apartheid Slander - NYT opinion

In Israel, Press Freedom Is Under Attack - NYT opinion

The UN Suicide Vest - WT editorial

Middle East / North Africa

US Will Maintain Ties, Presence in Persian Gulf - AFPS

Pentagon: Size of US Military's Presence in Gulf Uncertain - S&S

Iran Creates Unit to Defend Against Cyber Attacks - AP

Yemeni Militants Deny Death of Senior Qaeda Member - Reuters

Tunisia Testing Newfound Freedom of Expression - VOA

Tunisia Issues Warrant for Arafat's Widow - AP

Egypt to Ratify Anti-Corruption Law in Daysr - Reuters

Egyptians Protest, Anger Mounts Over Blogger Arrest - Reuters

Egyptians March to Protest Activist Arrest - AP

WikiLeaks

Government to Disclose Evidence Against PFC Manning - WT

US Department of Defense

Challenge of a Volunteer Military - WP

Burn Pit Study Inconclusive on Health Effects - S&S

Not Enough Data to Link Pollution to Ill Troops - NYT

Violence More Common Among Kids of Combat Veterans - AP

United States

Officials Bust Drug-Smuggling Ring Linked to Mexican Cartel - NYT

Agencies Team Up to Hit Drug Ring in Arizona - WT

Arizona Smashes Mexican Drug Ring - BBC

FBI Releases Video, Papers on Russian Spy Ring - AP

FBI Releases Russian Spy Videos - BBC

Russian Spies were Succeeding, FBI Says - LAT

FBI Says Russian Spies Got Close to Cabinet - WT

Condoleezza Rice’s Diplomatic Stiletto - WP

United Kingdom

'Disturbing' Cyber-Attacks on UK - BBC

World

UN Reports 7 Billion Humans, but Others Don’t Count on It - NYT

Seven Billion - WP web page on population growth and aging

Africa

UK Commandos Storm Somali War Zone, Snatch Tribal Leader - DM

‘Big Countries’ Are Sought to Help Fight in Somalia - NYT

Somalia Famine Refugees Joined by Others Fleeing Insecurity - VOA

5 Killed, Dozens Hurt in Somalia After Airstrike - AP

Kenya Dismisses Refugee Camp Airstrike as Rebel - Reuters

Kenya Military Claims to Kill 18 Pirates - AP

'Hundreds' Dead in Sudan Clashes - BBC

Sudan, Rebels Say Fighting in Southern Oil State - Reuters

An Exceptional Change in Zambia - NYT

Uganda Frees Opposition Leader, Threatens to Re-Arrest - Reuters

Cameroon President Begins 30th Year Amid Fraud Allegations - VOA

Americas

Anonymous Hacker Group Threatens Mexico’s Zetas Cartel - WP

Hackers Take on a Ruthless Mexican Crime Syndicate - NYT

Anonymous Eyes Mexican Cartel Attack - IW

'Hackers' Threaten Mexican Drug Cartel in YouTube Video - BBC

Colombia's President Dissolves Domestic Spy Agency - AP

Colombia Leader Scraps Spy Agency - BBC

Raucous Trial Is a Test of Haiti’s Legal System - NYT

Asia Pacific

In China, Political Outsiders Turn to Microblog Campaigns - NYT

Chinese Shenzhou Craft Launches on Key Space Mission - BBC

China Unmanned Spacecraft Launches - AP

Chinese Dragon Flexes Economic Muscles - WT opinion

Tensions Mount in Thai Capital as Floodwaters Devastate Suburbs - VOA

Tempers Flare on Front Lines of Thailand's Floods - AP

Central Asia

Former Prime Minister Set to Win Kyrgyzstan Vote - NYT

Kyrgyz Vote Draws Critical Monitor Report, Protest - AP

Europe

Greece to Hold Referendum on New Debt Deal - NYT

Bosnian Court Orders US Embassy Attacker Held in Custody - VOA

Rosen Plevneliev Elected New Bulgarian President - AP

UN's Ban to Call New Cyprus Meeting in January - Reuters

South Asia

India Challenged to Provide Jobs, Education to Young Population - VOA

India Politician 'Beaten' in Jail - BBC

Read more about 1 November SWJ Roundup

31 October SWJ Roundup

US Naval Institute Daily - USNI

Real Clear World - RCP

Afghanistan

Deadly Attack in Kabul Gets Network’s Message Across - NYT

Deadly Attack Reflects Taliban Strategy - WP

Afghan Violence Comes During Coalition Crackdown - USAT

NATO Convoy Bomb Adds Urgency to Protecting Kabul - AP

US Had Advance Warning of Abuse at Afghan Prisons - WP

Advanced War Games Bring Afghanistan to Camp Lejeune - N&O

In Herat, the Young are Restless as War Grinds On - S&S

Blast Near UN Building in Afghan City Kandahar - Reuters

Aiming Low at Istanbul Meeting on Afghanistan - Reuters

US Changes Tack Towards Taliban - AT opinion

Pakistan

US Seeks Aid From Pakistan in Afghan Peace Effort - NYT

Massive Rally Caps Weekend of Demonstrations in Pakistan - WP

Political Shift Seen in Rally in Pakistan - NYT

Anti-US Pakistani Cricketer Rallies 100,000 People - AP

Suspected US Drones Kill 6 in Pakistan - AP

Iraq

US Planning Troop Buildup in Gulf After Exit From Iraq - NYT

Report: US Plans Post-Iraq Buildup in Gulf - VOA

Challenges Ahead for Iraqi Forces' Counterterror Efforts - USAT

Turkey Ready to Train Iraqi Forces - KNA

Iran Praises Iraq as US Withdrawal Nears - LAT

Khamenei: Iraqi 'Resistance' Forced US Pull-out - AFP

Obama's Tragic Iraq Withdrawal - WSJ opinion

After US Forces Exit Iraq Will My Brothers Be Killed? - FOX opinion

Troop Increase in Gulf Won't Make Up for Withdrawal - Commentary opinion

Departure of Forces from Iraq Will Have Consequences - GBPG opinion

Syria

Arab League Hands Syria Plan to End Unrest - Reuters

Syria's Assad Warns West Against Intervention - AP

Syria’s Assad Warns Western Powers - BBC

Syrian President Thanks Russia for Support - AP

Danger of Civil War in Syria - TN opinion

Libya

Libyan Leader Wants Elections Sped Up - WP

Clinton Credited with Key Role in Success of NATO Air Campaign - WP

NATO Set to Finish Libya Mission - BBC

Libya Mission Ends, but NATO’s Direction Still Up in the Air - S&S

Libya's PM Confirms Presence of Chemical Weapons - AP

With Future for Saif Al-Islam Unknown, Niger Wary - Reuters

Hunt is on for Treasures Looted in Libyan Uprising - Reuters

Libya: The End of the Beginning - AE opinion

Israel / Palestinians

Truce Effort Follows Deadly Violence on Israel-Gaza Border - VOA

Islamic Jihad Announces Gaza Cease-fire - CNN

Fragile Gaza Cease-fire Off to a Rocky Start - LAT

Gaza Violence Simmers After Truce Announced - Reuters

Israel Strikes Gaza After 'Truce' - BBC

Israeli Airstrike Kills Palestinian Militant - WP

Hamas Caught in Bind as Gaza Violence Heats Up - AP

Israeli Army Whistleblower Gets 4 1/2 Years - AP

Iran

Iran Formally Complains to US Over Plot Charges - AP

Iran Parliament to Question Ahmadinejad Over Fraud - AP

Iran Says Wants Relations with US, But Not Now - Reuters

Yemen

Yemeni Forces Shell Pro-Opposition District, 4 Killed - VOA

Blast at Yemen Air Base Temporarily Shuts Sana'a Airport - VOA

Airport Hit by Shells as Attacks in the Capital Widen - NYT

Yemen Airport Shut after Blasts - BBC

Middle East / North Africa

Saudi Royal Offers Bounty to Catch Israeli Soldier - AP

Saudi Arabia Jails Woman for Funding Al Qaeda - Reuters

Egypt: Mubarak Trial Postponed - BBC

Egypt Military Detains Activist Over Clashes - Reuters

No Need to Fear Decline of Western Power in Arab World - TE editorial

The Arab Intellectuals Who Didn't Roar - NYT opinion

US Department of Defense

The US Army's Rock 'N' Roll Past - NPR

Military Works on Making MREs Actually Edible - WP

Don’t Gut Defense - WP opinion

United States

Reports: Prosecutions Going Up for War Zone Crime - AP

Congress’s Chance to Rewrite Rules for Fighting Terrorism - WP editorial

United Kingdom

Armed Guards to Protect UK Ships - BBC

UK's Cameron: Armed Sailors to Combat Sea Piracy - AP

UK Military in Denial About Defeats - TI opinion

World

World Population Grows by 1 Billion in Only 12 Years - LAT

A Lot of People? Yes. Apocalypse? No. - LAT opinion

Africa

The Secret War: How US Hunted AQ in Africa - NT

Kenya to Stay in Somalia Until Safe From Al-Shabab Menace - VOA

Kenya Military Chief: Somalia Incursion Could be Long - LAT

Kenyan Jets Bomb Southern Somalia, 10 Dead - VOA

Kenya Kills 10 Shabaab Fighters in Air Strike - Reuters

'Civilians Dead' in Kenyan Somalia Raids - BBC

American Identified as Bomber in Attack in Somalia - NYT

Aid Can't Get Through to Many Somalia Famine Victims - LAT

Students Stage Anti-Government Protest in East Sudan - Reuters

Mali Lawmaker Tells of Threats Over Al-Qaida Talk - AP

Liberia Election Chief Resigns Ahead of November 8 Vote - Reuters

Americas

Mexico: Video Threatens to Disclose Zetas Cartel’s Allies - AP

Online Hackers Threaten to Expose Cartel's Secrets - HC

Every Day Is 'Day of the Dead' in Mexico Drug War - AP

Honduras Becomes Western Hemisphere Cocaine Hub - AP

Venezuela: Chavez Orders More Land Taken From British Firm - AP

Colombia Votes in Test for Peace Under Santos - Reuters

Colombia: Former Rebel Wins Bogota Mayor's Election - AP

Colombia Vote Comes Amid Violence, Corruption - MH opinion

Asia Pacific

Philippine Offensive Targets Key Terror Suspects - AP

Bombings, Shootings Hit Restive Southern Thailand - AP

Burma Democracy Leader Meets Again with Government Minister - VOA

Floodwalls Keep Bangkok Dry but Provinces Angry - NYT

Central Asia

Hopes for Peace as Kyrgyzstan Votes for New President - NYT

Kyrgyz Election Front-Runner Set for Crushing Win - AP

Kyrgyz PM Leads Race for Presidency in Tense Vote - Reuters

Europe

Russia 'Close' to WTO Membership - BBC

Serbian Liberals Protest Russian Involvement - AP

Bosnia US Embassy Attacker Says He Acted Alone - Reuters

Bulgaria: Conservative Likely Winner of Presidency - AP

UN's Ban Seeks Lifeline to Flagging Cyprus Talks - Reuters

Europe Will Not Offer China Concessions for Aid - Reuters

Death Toll from Turkey Earthquake Nears 600 - LAT

Panetta Orders Military Support for Turkey Earthquake Relief - AFPS

Neighbors Warily Eye Muscular Turkey - JT opinion

South Asia

Protests Awaken a Goliath in India - NYT

Wary of China, Its Neighbors Court India - YG opinion

Read more about 31 October SWJ Roundup

An Open Letter to All Marines: A Response to Lieutenant General Robert B. Neller

An Open Letter to All Marines: A Response to Lieutenant General Robert B. Neller by Major Gregory A. Thiele, Marine Corps Gazette.

… In the 23 years with which I have been associated with the Marine Corps, however, I have perceived an alarming trend toward ever greater centralization, occurring in virtually every conceivable field. I also believe that anyone who has eyes can see it. I doubt that LtGen Neller would deny this. Where LtGen Neller and I almost certainly disagree is in regard to whether or not this trend toward centralization is beneficial. I believe that too much centralization is potentially disastrous, while he likely sees it as a sign of progress. It is certain that many decisions to centralize training, administration, supply, etc., have been made with the best of intentions and for good reasons (to ameliorate the impacts of faster promotions and make use of improved communications, shorter training times, diminished resources, etc.). My concern is that, when taken as a whole, these developments constitute a long-term threat to the health and effectiveness of our Corps. I can only respond to LtGen Neller that, similar to the British at Jutland, there seems to be “something wrong with our bloody” system. It is more than the predeployment training plan. There are a number of other examples one could cite that illustrate the danger that is slowly sapping the vitality of our Corps…

30 October SWJ Roundup

US Naval Institute Daily - USNI

Real Clear World - RCP

Persian Gulf

US Is Planning Buildup in Gulf After Iraq Exit - NYT

Afghanistan

Deadly Attack Reflects Taliban Strategy - WP

16 Coalition Personnel Killed in Afghanistan Attacks - AFPS

13 NATO Troops Killed in Afghanistan Suicide Attack - VOA

17 Die as Suicide Blast Hits US Bus in Afghanistan - NYT

20 Troops, Civilians Killed in 3 Attacks in Afghanistan - VOA

13 Americans Die in Taliban Bombing in Kabul - WP

Afghan Car Bomber Rams NATO Bus - BBC

Suicide Bombing of NATO Convoy Kills 17 - AP

Kabul Suicide Bomb Kills 13 Troops, Civilian Workers - Reuters

3 Australian Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan - AP

Recent Major Attacks in Afghanistan - AP

UN: Sharp Drop in Afghans Returning From Pakistan - AP

Pakistan

US Missiles Kill 6 Suspected Militants in Pakistan - AP

Syria

Syrian Forces Strike Homs for Second Day - VOA

'Shelling and Raids in Homs Kills Three' - BBC

Shelling in Syria Kills 3 After Deadly Day - AP

Syria's Assad Warns Western Powers - BBC

Assad: Challenge Syria and War Will 'Burn Whole Region' - TT

Syria's Assad Warns of 'Earthquake' if West Intervenes - Reuters

Libya

Libya Mission Ends, but NATO’s Direction Still Up in the Air - S&S

Score-Settling After Libya's War Casts Shadow - AP

ICC: Mercenaries Trying to Help Gadhafi's Son Flee - VOA

Gaddafi Son 'Says He is Innocent' - BBC

Niger Faces Local Anger if It Delivers Gaddafi Son - Reuters

More Than 20 Libyan War Wounded Flown to US - AP

Anger at Hinting an End to a Curb on Polygamy - NYT

After Liberation, Nowhere to Run - NYT opinion

Iraq

Iraqi PM: 615 Detained in anti-Baathist Sweep - AP

Iraq PM Criticizes Autonomy Move by Local Province - Reuters

Israel / Palestinians

Palestinians Weigh Rival Strategies - WP

Israeli Airstrike in Gaza Kills at Least 5 Militants - VOA

Israeli Drone Strike Kills Militants in Southern Gaza - NYT

Airstrikes and Rockets Kill 10 in the Gaza Strip - LAT

Israel Trades Fire With Gaza's Islamic Jihad, 10 Dead - Reuters

Israel and Gaza Militants Exchange Fire, 7 Killed - AP

Militants Killed in Gaza Strikes - BBC

Israel, Militants Continue Attacks for Second Day - AP

No Sign of Truce Taking Effect Over Gaza Flare-Up - Reuters

US, EU Scramble to Delay Palestinian Bid to Join UNESCO - Haaretz

Israelis Return to Streets to Protest Prices - AP

Iran

Iran Cyber Police Cite US Threat - WP

Iranian Hero Pilot Gets Cold Shoulder - WP

Saudi Arabia

New Saudi Crown Prince Says Kingdom to Remain Stable - Reuters

Saudi Prince Backs Cleric's Bounty Offer for Israeli Soldier - Reuters

Saudi Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Qaida Links - AP

Middle East / North Africa

Five Killed by Yemen Pro-Government Forces - Reuters

Egypt Mubarak's Trial to Be Postponed Again - Reuters

The Arab Intellectuals Who Didn’t Roar - NYT opinion

Piracy

Somali Piracy: Armed Guards to Protect UK Ships - BBC

US Department of Defense

Military Works on Making MREs Actually Edible - WP

Navy Cmdr Gets Prison in Rape of 2 Female Officers - AP

Skipper Becomes 21st Fired by Navy in 2011 - S&S

The Bloated Nuclear Weapons Budget - NYT editorial

United States

US Northern Border Checks Scaled Back - AP

You Want to Track Me? Here You Go, FBI - NYT opinion

Commonwealth Summit

Commonwealth Leaders Conclude Australian Summit - AP

Human Rights Divides Commonwealth - VOA

UK PM Commonwealth Human Rights Plea - BBC

Commonwealth Agrees to be More Proactive on Human Rights - Reuters

CHOGM Ducks Two-thirds of Agenda - SMH

Africa

Kenya to Stay in Somalia Until Safe From Al-Shabab Menace - VOA

Kenya Military Chief: Somalia Incursion Could be Long - LAT

Militants Strike at Troops at Base in Somali Capital - NYT

Militants: Somali-American Bombed AU Base - AP

South Sudan Turns Toward British Heritage - NYT

South Sudanese Rebels Attack Town - BBC

S. Sudan Rebels Threaten Warrap State, Call for Evacuation - Reuters

Child Killed by Police in Congo Electoral Violence - Reuters

Americas

Online Hackers Threaten to Expose Cartel's Secrets - HC

Every Day Is 'Day of the Dead' in Mexico Drug War - AP

Mexico: Resort Town Shoppers Trapped by Gunfight - AP

Asia Pacific

China Reshuffles Top Leadership at Financial Regulators - NYT

US Embassy Air Quality Data Undercut China's Assessments - LAT

China Arrests 12,000 in Online Narcotics Crackdown - AP

Defector Floats his Rescue Socks into North Korea - LAT

Thai Soldiers Detained over Mekong River Killings - BBC

Thai Soldiers Surrender Over Killing of 13 Chinese Sailors - Reuters

Thai PM Hopeful Floods Will Spare Most of Bangkok - AP

Peak Tides Test Thai Capital's Flood Defenses - Reuters

Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan Votes for a President, Feeling the Pull of Russia - NYT

Kyrgyzstan Votes for New President - BBC

Kyrgyz Election to Test Revolutionary Reforms - Reuters

Europe

Russia Clamps Down on Opposition - WP

US Lawmakers Warn Obama Over Russia's WTO Bid - Reuters

15 Arrested After Shooting at US Embassy in Bosnia - VOA

Serbia, Bosnia Raid Islamists After US Embassy Attack - Reuters

Bosnia Raids After US Embassy Attack - AP

Panetta Orders Military Support for Turkey Earthquake Relief - AFPS

For Kurds in Turkey, a Country’s Conflict Rends Families - NYT

Suicide Bomber Strikes Turkey's Southeast - VOA

Suicide Bomber Kills 2 Amid Turkish Crackdown on Kurds - NYT

Suicide Bomber in Turkey Kills 2, Wounds 12 - AP

Ukraine Investigating ex-PM in Murder Case - AP

Higgins Elected Irish President - BBC

Higgins Voted New Irish President - AP

Conservative, Leftist Up for Bulgaria Presidency - AP

A Look at Bulgaria's Presidential Candidates - AP

South Asia

Protests Awaken a Goliath in India - NYT

Dozens Feared Dead after India Bridge Collapses - BBC

Read more about 30 October SWJ Roundup

Salami Slices, Cheese Spread and Kool-Aid: A Recipe for Anorexic Organizations

As the specter of serve budget reductions become reality, leaders at all levels will face tough choices; what to keep, what must go, what to cut back--what will and will not get done. Many leaders will meet the challenge head-on; others will equivocate and ultimately decide to not decide. This article is dedicated to the later group of leaders, to those military members in positions of authority who will hide behind a facade of equality and fairness, in order to keep from truly making a choice. When a leader makes a choice, when they commit, they might be proven wrong or criticized. Fiscal decisions are particularly difficult because emotions can run high when careers are on the line. So what might we expect? You might see some of the following meals being served.

Salami Slices

The “salami slice” is favorite technique of leaders who want to “spread the pain” evenly. This approach avoids the hard work of prioritizing what is critical (committing) and what is not. It also sidesteps personal culpability by taking the fairest course of action given the circumstances. The salami slice might be fair, but it is also indiscriminate in its effects. By cutting all organizations a determined amount (5 %), all are degraded the same degree; critical functions and non-critical functions are treated the same, albeit fairly. Once the “slicing” begins, it is hard to stop. As Daniel Goure, an analyst for the Lexington Institute, suggested in a recent Washington Times article, “If you do what you did the last time—which is essentially salami slice, take bits and pieces from everything and everybody—then you are essentially going back to where you were after Vietnam and at the end of the Cold War drawdown. Too many missions. Too many deployments. Not enough stuff. Not enough people.”[i] In turn, higher level commanders will slice all below them and then lower level commanders will tend to pass on the slice reductions to their own organizations.

There is an appropriate time for the Salami Slice approach. If there is excess fat in all areas of the organizational carcass, then it is an absolutely appropriate technique to trim the fat—salami slices will not sustain and organization in the long term. Once the organization has become lean, then it is time to set priorities and makes some hard decisions.

Cheese Spread

If predictions hold true, fiscal cuts will be severe. Budget reductions will begin small and increase over the next decade. As moral starts to wane, leaders will espouse slogans in order to rally the troops around the fiscal realities. As a young Captain in the 1980’s, I was told that we would “fight outnumbered and win” and “we will do more with less.” We all knew we would do less with less, but leaders seemed to feel better when they had a slogan to espouse. Those of us who did not have to make the hard decisions (but had to live by them) called this rhetoric “spreading the cheese.” It really did not help, but it was interesting to watch. My guess is that leaders, at some point, will resort to spreading cheese once again. I am sure the cheese will be of higher quality, maybe something in the vein of “we will become more efficient” or “we will leverage technology.” While I’m sure there is waste and I know we can be more efficient; part of being efficient is determining what is important and what is not. Even the best of cheese spreads will not compensate for massive budget cuts and poor fiscal decisions.

Kool-Aid

Organizations, military organizations included, cannot survive exclusively on salami slices and cheese spread. In fact, over time, any organization will become anorexic on such a diet. Organizations, like people, require sound nourishment to prosper; consequently, do not drink the Kool-Aid! If a leader cannot adequately feed (fund) an entire organization, then cuts-- real cuts-- are required. If leaders are worth their salt, then they will make the difficult decisions, trimming away what is not required in order to feed and nourish the parts of the organizations that are critical to the core mission—unpleasant business, but absolutely essential.

A Healthy Diet

A fiscally constrained, but healthy diet begins with a generous portion of resolve. Leaders must resolute to establish priorities, make hard decisions, and then follow through. Add to this organizationally healthy menu a side dish of critical thinking. As Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta recently stated in his two-page, October 17 memo to Ashton Carter, his newly appointed Deputy Defense Secretary, “In this unprecedented fiscal and budgetary environment, we must focus on maintaining the best military in the world and avoid hollowing out our all-volunteer force, while also meeting our obligations to help get our nation’s economic house in order.”[ii] Before priorities can be established, a critical analysis and assessment of organizational mission, activity, and resources is vital. If activities do not directly support the organization’s mission, then they are “hollow calories” and should be placed on the table for consumption.

A dessert of “vision” tops off this culinary adventure. People get nervous once reductions begin. It is the role of the leader to provide a vision that sends the message, just as Robert D. Cabana, Director of the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) did in his Director’s Planning Guidance, “We have some uncertainty; nevertheless, we are moving forward on what we can control. Drawing on our rich heritage, we are making groundbreaking decisions that are defining the next era of spaceflight. Everything KSC has accomplished has prepared us for there we are going…So let’s accept the challenge and take the opportunity to lead, to make a difference, to achieve great things.”[iii] Cuts, reorganization and reductions, without a vision, are a recipe for organizational indigestion. Indigestion is this case meaning that one day you will come to work to discover an essential function is no longer viable.

The Meat of the Issue

The meat of the fiscal issue is that cheese spreads have no nutritional value; “units do not do more with less.” In fact, the ugly truth is people and organizations do less with less. It is the role of the leader to cull the wheat from the chaff and determine what the “less” actually is. Good leaders will rise to the challenge and do more than cut. They will become creative and find new ways to accomplish the mission; they will in effect teach their organizations to eat properly. In lean times leaders become nutritionists; they eat their peas, avoiding salami slices, cheese spread and Kool-Aid diets.

[i] Duane Goure as quoted in Rowan Scarborough, “Liberals see Opportunity fro Big Cuts in defense,” Washington Times, 18 July 2011. Sc

[ii] Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta as quoted by Jason Sherman, “Panetta Outlines DoD Prioroties, Issues Personal Endorsement of Carter’s Authority,” InsideDefense.com, 18 October 2011.

[iii] Robert D. Cabana, Director’s Planning Guidance 2011, 7 Oct 2011.