mod1CanStrategybeTaughtcopy.pdf

1 CanStrategybetaught?LtGenRobertSchmidle(ret)Ph.D. IntheSevenPillarsofWisdomT.ELawrenceheld,likeClausewitzbeforehim, thatwarswerefundamentallyirrationalactivitiesandanyattempttounderstandwhat causedthemorhowtofightthemneededtopayhomagetothereflexivepracticesand beliefsofthewarringparties.Thisisnottosaythattherewasnotaplacefor calculationsinwar,e.g.inmattersoflogisticsorthetacticalapplicationofartillery. Ratherandmostimportantly,Lawrenceproposedthatthosecalculationswerenotthe keyfactorindecidingtheoutcomeofawar. FamouslyLawrencewrotethat“Nine-tenthsoftacticswerecertainenoughtobe teachableinschools;buttheirrationaltenthwaslikethekingfisherflashingacrossthe pool,andinitlaythetestofgenerals”.Thetestofgenerals,whichveryfewbutthe greatestwouldpass,wastheirabilitytounderstandandtapthetruesourceofpower– theirrationaltenth.Itistheseeminglyirrationaldecisionofagreatcommandergoing againsttheconventionalwisdomofthedaythatconfoundshisenemywhileinspiring hisownforcestovictory. Lawrenceexplainsfurtherabouttheessenceoftheirrationaltenth“Itcouldbe ensuedbyinstinct(sharpenedbythoughtpracticingthestroke)untilatthecrisisitcame naturally,areflex.”Lawrence’sperspectiveonirrationality,farfromseeingitas somethingtobeavoided,wasthatitshouldbeunderstoodasprovidingahorizonof …