Everyone has a theory as to why we are in Iraq. Certainly Bush’s recent comments in his Mideast visit lends credence to “oil” as one of the top 3 reasons. But another reason, I am convinced, is for target practice. We have a high tech military that uses highly sophisticated equipment. Anyone who has designed and delivered anything high tech knows that you can’t count on it until it has been field tested. Hardware or software will have “bugs” (defects) until it is used in real life. Moreover, anyone who has performed anything (musical or sports) knows that you don’t get better by reading books, but only by doing it, practicing it over and over.
Combine these two points and it’s rather obvious that our very expensive, high tech military is only worth the time and money if it can be battle tested. That’s the only way the equipment can be perfected and the skills to use it can be developed and sharpened. Without an occasional war, our military capability would hardly be sustainable, much less improve. A military is only as effective as the experiences of the highly trained and equipped men and women. They have to serve active duty to learn and be at the top of their game, especially due to the sophisticated systems involved.
And in an Internet world, where there is no barrier to knowledge, our only competitive advantage is EXPERIENCE not knowledge. Another competitive advantage comes from our military being composed of SYSTEMS not individual warriors. By system I mean what is being referred to in the article below about the use of close coordination between air and ground, between men and machines. Drones, laser-guided missiles, night vision, communications gear, etc. It is a deadly and unstoppable war machine—if you have the skills to operate it. And the only place you can acquire these skills is on a BATTLEFIELD.
And that is why I think we are in Iraq—to build military muscle. Field test the gear and battle test the men and women of the military.
