Every time I get a copy of one of Johns books I get motivated to read. Motivated because every book of Johns (and I have read all, 11 of them) I learn something valuable. His insights are always very useful when looking into future conflict and how to deal with it.

John Poole’s  latest book Expeditionary Eagles: Outmaneuvering the Taliban is focused on the war in Afghanistan but the methods discussed,  l assure you can be applied here at home in dealing with the asymmetric threats we face such as, drug cartels who increase in violence has leaked over the border into he United States. Dangerous gangs and criminal organizations who use violence to complete their objectives. John’s methods are both humane and effective. John learns from history and applies those lessons skillfully.

“If U.S. military personnel still plan to win the war in Afghanistan, they better take a hard look at this book. Unhindered by any obligation to be “politically correct” its author has the perfect background for some helpful advice. That advice takes the form of an intelligence and tactical technique supplement. U.S. planners have yet to realize the power of the Taliban's grassroots approach. To do anything about it, U.S. troops will have to be widely dispersed into a myriad of tiny contingents. This author is totally familiar with the Asians “bottom-up” way of fighting and a recognized authority on squad tactics.

The threat is not only to the government of Afghanistan, but also to that of its eastern neighbor. Pakistan's internal struggle is also analyzed. There is evidence of al-Qaeda coordinating or assisting Jamaat-i-islami affilaites during the recent Swat valley envelopment of Islamabad. As such, all enemy affiliations on both sides of the border have been investigated.

While far more humane, the current U.S. strategy in Afghanistan is still too much like that of the Soviets to succeed. this region is so corrupt that no standard counterinsurgency plan will work. Its drug culture has first to be altered. until that happens, every Afghan police and army detachment in the towns and neighborhoods along major highways will have to be  collected with few American troops. that means allowing U.S. squads to operate outside of any supporting-arms umbrella. That's the only way to urn the tide of battle in a single year.”. ~General Anthony C. Zinni USMC (Ret.)

Expeditionary Eagles arrived today. I am opening it now…Review to follow.

Stay Oriented!

Fred