"A theory ignoring any one of them or seeks to fix an arbitrary relationship between them would conflict with reality to such an extent that for this reason alone it would be totally useless."

Many continue to evaluate the relevance of Prussian General Carl von Clausewitz classic work "On War" with respect to the Global War on Terrorism.  "On War" has been used in military academies as the foundation for theory on conflict between nation-states.  We are currently engaged in a conflict against an enemy who will never claim allegiances to any nation or state.  Martin van Creveld, a professor of History at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem has written Clausewitzian Trinity is no longer valid in the non-state conflict against ideological extremism. I feel it still has relevance.  The trinity can be a foundation for analyzing current affairs in the Global War on Terrorism.  The level of hatred toward western civilization, which I mean the US and Israel, has never been seen in our recorded history.  Every individual in the United States should read Usama bin Laden’s 1998 Fatwa against the US and its allies.  It is easily found by typing in Google the word "fatwa"… it is the first thing coming up.  Then read the Hamas Charter if you still have any doubts about intentions.  The key is intentions, as it is in any conflict on any battlefield.  Bin Laden states unequivocally the murder of men, women, and children is the mission of his followers.  In most cases these ideological groups are the viral cardio-myopathy infecting the very heart of a nation and its population, creating the chaos which extremist groups like al Qaeda, Hamas, or Hezbollah must have to survive in.  A review of recent media coverage relating to these groups and where they reside illustrates how these cancerous organizations infect any organism they take over. 

The Prussian General writes there are three elements which must be in harmony with each other during conflicts.   The elements comprising the "Clausewitzian Trinity" are The People, The Government, and The Military.  Viewing the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq from the US perspective in relation to these three elements highlights numerous conflicts in our society.  We all can agree from what we hear daily through the media the three elements are not in harmony; we the people and our government are as divided as we have ever been.  Numerous members of the military I have talked to are completely united against this enemy we face… they "get it" and understand what it will take to overcome the enemies of our democracy.  It is only when they come home and see the conflict amongst the people and the lack of resolve of our leaders in Washington DC they begin to question our purpose.  Reviewing each element of the Clausewitz Trinity in relation to our current state of affairs uncovers the nation’s division.

The population of the US and Israel, the people of the trinity, have been bombarded by our government leaders and their accomplices in the media with the liberal mantra; Iraq or conflict with Hamas is unjust based on false or vague intelligence.  The men and women of the military are a bunch of illiterate thugs continuing to murder and maim innocent civilians according to a former US candidate.  We the people are divided as to what the wars are about and why we continue to waste resources on these conflicts.  The citizens can only make their choices based on the quality of knowledge they are given.  The classic components of the decision makers’ dilemma are risk, time, quality of knowledge and outcomes.  If you have quality knowledge you can make timely decisions with diminished risk and reduce the outcome’s second and third order effects.  The observation, orientation, decision, action loop, John Boyd’s famous OODA Loop, is also very applicable here.  We the people hear, see and read accounts of the numbers of troops killed or in Israel’s case captured and interred by terrorist groups.  Remember the world outcry when Ariel Sharon implemented a strategy of eliminating Hamas’ leadership by taking out the blind wheel-chair bound cleric Sheik Yassin and two weeks later his successor Sheik Rantissi with Hellfire missiles fired from hovering Apache helicopters?  Yet these men were the leaders of a group openly stating Jews must be exterminated.  We have similar statements against the US and its citizens from the same groups.  We don’t seem to care these groups have made similar threats to us and we go on with our lives.  Open source intelligence on the web will reveal these groups are here, now, inside the borders of the United States.   

Recently talking to a good friend of mine who had just returned from Iraq I found the Iraqi people are more united in their situation under extreme security conditions than we are living so far away from the chaos.  The Iraqi people are united against the enemies of their country and continue to close generational gaps between diverse religious groups.  My friend told me one story of commitment I wish the news media would be telling all of us on the nightly news… quality knowledge.  A women obviously wearing an explosive vest walked into the crowded market.  Many people were buying food and goods for the evening meals.  Three police officers noticed the women for what she was, a suicide bomber.  Without trying to cause a fleeing riot, the three police officers moved toward the woman.  All three knew what the outcome could possibly be of their actions… certain death.  The suicide bomber noticed the three cops coming toward her and she moved toward the center of the market where she could do the most damage.  The three cops ran and got her on the ground.  The detonator was just out of her reach.  During the scuffle, the three police officers knew they had to react fast but they more than likely were not going to live through this ordeal.  She was able to grab the detonator in her right hand so the cops covered her body, one on each side and on top of her, shielding those in the market from the blast.  The suicide bomber pushed the button and all four lost their lives.  No one else was seriously injured because of the quick reaction of dedicated police officers in Iraq.  The three cops saved the lives of all in the market at the sacrifice of their own.  In the US we live in a world devoid of such events of heroism or destruction.  The Iraqis hate what al Qaeda in Iraq has done to their families.  It caused the turn around we needed.  Please remember every thing revolves around the family in Iraq, it is very familial and tribal.  It seems the Iraqis are more united against the common enemy than we are here in the US.  All applauded the heroic efforts of New York Police and Fire Department on 9/11.  The people have got to find a way to come together in this conflict or as Clausewitz states, "totally useless."

The second element of Clausewitz Trinity is government.  The approval numbers of the current US congress are at all time lows in polling data.  It must give President Bush a sense of satisfaction his approval ratings are higher than members of congress.  Our government is divided on how to fight the enemies we face world-wide.  On one side we hear all the troops should come home from Iraq and we have lost sight of the real threat in Afghanistan.  The other side sees the conflict in Iraq as the main effort in the War on Terrorism.  The rules of engagement allow us to use all the tools against the ideological extremists on the battlefield in Iraq.  We are winning the war, despite what you are hearing on the news… which is NOTHING.  It seems the war in Iraq has lost traction in our government and the liberal media.  But we continue to see many in Washington DC tell us of how we went to war on lies and mistruths.  Our government has been torn apart with respect to how the global war on terrorism has been run.  One question I have to ask you; Is there an elected official or individual running for office you would trust the lives of your children to?  That is a question you must ask as you go into the voting booth this fall.  I have a 17 year old son.  When he graduates from High School he will be old enough to become a member of the US military.  We have talked about my military career.  His Mom told him to ask me about the Cold War as he was studying it in class… stories of his Dad sitting in a KC-135 on nuclear alert were fascinating to him.  He has told me he does not want to be in the military.  Looking at the elected officials in the House and Senate from where I live I do not trust them with the lives of my children.  Even more so if one of my kids were to become a member of the US military.  The division in our government on how to prosecute this war will continue to be something our enemies will use to embolden them.  They see it as a sign of weakness.  If you don’t think we are divided on how to prosecute this war, just go up to a member of the House or Senate and ask them if they favor extraordinary renditions and see what reaction you get.  This is why I feel elections in the fall will have a far reaching effect on not only our government but other events around the world.  I have constantly wondered what a Muslim US President’s views will be on our support for the nation of Israel AFTER he is in office and it’s harder to remove the administration.  The last question I would ask all of you are your feelings on if the country could survive another contested election like we saw in 2000 between Al Gore and George W. Bush when you take the current climate in the United States into account.  My jury is still out on the answer to that question.

The last element of the trinity is our military.  When attending a symposium at George Washington University on irregular warfare I remember the key note speaker’s opening comments.  Elliot Cohen had recently returned from Iraqi and got to see first hand the young men and women (remember, the average age of the kids running a nuclear powered aircraft carrier deck, the most dangerous work environment on the face of the earth, is 19 years of age!) fighting in Iraq.  His statement has remained with me for a long time.  He said to the audience, many of us members of the military at the time, "I want all of you to understand the US possesses a wonderfully magnificent military!  It is a military like the world has ever seen nor will it in the future."  Young Army Captain’s are making strategic decisions when walking down the streets of Fallujah or Mosul.  When on patrol, many of these young Captains are leading younger men or women than they are yet decisions they make under extreme pressure on the battlefield have far reaching effects in the war on terror.  Pictures I have been seeing lately of our troops interaction with the Iraqi populace have confirmed we not only have turned the corner, the war is not lost (remember what Patton said about losing) and we can win this war in Iraq.  I want all of you to understand many of us in the military knew there was WMD in Iraq before March 2003, some saw it with their own eyes, and other sources to include Iraqi generals have stated they had WMD.  If you want to read a fascinating account of where the Iraqi WMD went, read Georges Sada’s book "Saddam’s Secrets" and how a natural disaster in Syria gave Saddam the cover story for moving WMD from Iraq.  All kinds of things have been hidden in the Bekka Valley of Lebanon.  Who now owns this area of Lebanon…?  The Islamic extremist group Hezbollah!  That should give you a chill.  Our military continues to be the best and brightest military the world has ever known.  Look at their successes in the past 6 years and what they have accomplished.  Also I want you to look at those leading the fight in Iraq, men like General David Petraeus.  The military is well lead by people like him.  It pains us to see how he is treated in the press.  Those of us who have served are concerned about the division we see at home.  I deployed five times to the Gulf between 9/11 and the end of the war in Iraq in April 2003.  Each time I came home I would watch the news and wonder if they were covering the same war I was fighting in.  I stood less than six feet from General Michael Moseley on the opening night of "Shock and Awe" and we laughed watching the bungling coverage of Wolf Blitzer and Wesley Clark as the air campaign opened.  There was definitely an agenda.  I understood why people and our leaders back home were confused as to what was going on over there and continue to be so.  I will tell you many of us viewed President Bush as some sort of Rock Star.  We knew he got it.  Let me assure you the young and old of the US military are the same band of brothers and sisters made famous by the HBO special.  They are dedicated to their oath of office; "support and defend the constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic."

I hope the next time you read or are listening to the nightly news you will think of the Clausewitzian Trinity as you analyze what you are being presented.  The people, the government, and the military must be unified and in one accord to be successful in conflicts.  When we think of sending our young sons and daughters into combat in future conflicts against enemies who follow no rules of engagement, I hope our civic leaders will remember these three elements.