War on Terror

Somehow, the focus of the war was lost and this issue was apparently viewed by more people than possibly initially thought. This directly links to the memo in question, how can we know if we have won the war if we cannot see how far we have come? What else can be said if the government is not willing to look at the evident flaws in the systems in place? These among others questions are answered rather extensively in the memo. The answer of whether or not we were winning the war three years after the memo was written depends on the individual. In my opinion, we were not winning. One really has to take into account all the aspects of the war, good and bad. It is evident that lose of life and footing in respect to the war and overall morale and positioning of the military forces was off. The memo itself discusses how a regrouping was in order, concerning not only the focus and unity of the armed forces but also of the commanding officers and government bodies.

Our strategy was sound for the current state of the war on terrorism when it was first initiated and in motion, however as time went on there was a need for consistent reevaluation and flexibility, which is further affirmed by the memo. This did not occur, and that in fact flawed the structure and strength of the strategic plan that was in place. This further affirms that stated in the answer to the memo; restructuring was needed. Combined forces were needed, better training and efforts in support of the military were needed. Most of all there was and is still a need for reunification of forces. The memo discusses the importance of forces coming together and supporting and sustaining the views of the UN and its principles, not only would this give everyone involved a more global perspective it will also allow all parties an opportunity to focus their initiatives in unison. There is a need for unification, support, boosting of military morale, and various other initiatives. A fresh perspective is always a great first step.

Reference

Smith, D. (2003, October 16). Your October 16, 2003 Memo Re: Global War on Terrorism. Memo, pp.1-9.