Rummy: "it's not a science, it's an art"

[donsu]

this a.m. on c-span saw Rummy at a hearing. he was being asked about whether he had sent enough troops to Iraq or not. (gen. complaining, etc.)

and in reference to the question, he said picking the right amount of troops was not a science but an art.

---------

isn't the Science of War taught at the military academies? aren't there many bks. on the science of war? wouldn't that include deciding how many troops to use where and when?

do they teach the Art of War?

??

I know, I know, he's nuts.

[bluethruandthru]

1. The book is by Sun-Tzu (sp?)

"The Art of War"

[donsu]

3. they teach this bk. at our military schools?

nt

[bluethruandthru]

7. I don't think so...

I only knew about it because I once worked for a guy who lived by it. It's an ancient Chinese "dummies guide to war". It was once all the rage for company executives. Here's a couple of points that Rummy's obviously skipped:

5. Thus, though we have heard of stupid haste in war,
cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.

6. There is no instance of a country having benefited
from prolonged warfare.

[Shipwack]

15. I don't know about being taught at Annapolis, but...

It is on the CNO's (Chief of Naval Operations, member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff)"Professional Reading List"...

http://www.usna.edu/Library/Cnoread.html

[acmavm]

6. And they haven't done one damn thing that Sun-Tzu said is

necessary to win a battle or the war.

[bluethruandthru]

8. Well...that's because

it's a book and they don't READ!!

[acmavm]

11. Yeah, you're right.

[htuttle]

24. They didn't look it up in a book!

They looked up what adequate troop levels would be in their GUT!

They've apparently been doing all their logistical planning the same way, given the widespread equipment shortages we've all heard about.

Looks like we might as well close the Army War College. All they got there is books...

[BiggJawn]

22. Yeah, but Rumsferatu never READ that book. Nor the "5 Rings"...

This Mis-Administration is real long on "making it up as we go along" and re-inventing the Wheel.

[RobertSeattle]

2. Rumsfeld was testing his own pet theory

that we could do war on the cheap with less troops. For the initial invasion he was right, but for the occupation, he was wrong wrong wrong.

Rumsfeld will go down in history as making McNamara look good...

[liberal N proud]

4. Waging WAR is an art?

That is basically what dummsfeld is saying

[Canuckistanian]

5. Not even an art, it's a WAG

A Wild-Assed Guess. And an uniformed one, at that.

[genie_weenie]

9. Dear Rummy, I may not be able to define Art but,

I know it when I see it and you sir are no Artist.

And most strategic military manuals fail because they assume much about conflicts. Usually the only manuals which are of any use deal with small Operations and Tactics.

[Crankie Avalon]

10. In THAT case, not only is he no Einstein, he's no Picasso, either. n/t

[One Honest Guy]

12. I'm pretty sure that's what Adolf Hitler said as well.

And look what happened to him.

[lumpy]

25. New buzz phrase

"art not science". Forbes magazine used that expression in a recent article propagandizing about Castro's supposed fortune. Meaning, of course, that the claim was not based on known fact but used to make a false supposition. Thus claims such as this is an "art not a science".

[bryant69]

13. Reminds me of a Quote from Batman

The Tim Burton one.

"I now do what other people only dream. I make art until someone dies. See? I am the world's first fully functioning homicidal artist." - The Joker

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[liberal N proud]

14. No wonder the fundies have trouble with money for art

They have a very warped sense of what art is.

[JHB]

16. "Mr. Rumsfeld, I know artists. Artists are friends of mine..."

"...And you, sir, are no artist! (Military or otherwise).

[Avalux]

17. Sun Tzu's book is "The Art of War"

Maybe Rummy fancies himself an expert and was referring to it. Now THAT'S funny. :D

http://www.kimsoft.com/polwar.htm

[TallahasseeGrannie]

18. How ironic

for 35 years I have been teaching my students that art and creativity are the opposite of war.

[cliss]

19. See? I told you Rummy

thinks of himself as a Renaissance Man. He can write poetry, and kill people all at the same time. That's really something.

I've read some of his poetry. It's -----it's ------well, you have to read it yourself. Suffice it to say that it's just like his speech - garbled, strange, peculiar twists to the English language.

If nothing else, this man has assured his place in the history books to come. Problem is, he won't like what they say about him.

[donsu]

20. but deciding how many troops to provide for a military event is Science

he can not say deciding how many troops to use for a military event is an art and still be considered sane.

[lumpy]

21. Strange, Forbes magazine article

used that expression "it is an art more than science" in admitting that their claim that Castro has a personal fortune of $900mil was based on non fact just speculation. I suppose propaganda could be considered an art.

[tabasco]

23. Rumsfeld is the most incompetent SECDEF in history.

Watching him talk about the art of war is absurd to the "n"th degree.

He is a bumbling egomaniac who thinks he can rewrite all of history's lessons of war.

Rumsfeld has one objective with his wars, which is to enrich the ruling classes in the USA.

In that regard, he has been wildly successful as a war profiteer.

But if anyone thinks Rumsfeld will ever win a war, they will be sorely disappointed.

[SunDrop23]

26. Call it science. Call it art. Rummy you fucked up at both. (nfm)