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Subject: Anyone read John Pooles books on light infantry
theBird    6/30/2007 8:55:31 PM
very interesting texts on the importance of skilled light infantry in modern war as well as the fallicy of over-relying on technology and firepower. I think they're great reads, and while biased to favor marines over army, illustrate an important weakness in Western nations top-down organizations when faced with Eastern bottom-up networks. Just wondering if anyone else has read them
 
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theBird       6/30/2007 8:56:44 PM
heres a link for the publisher http://members.aol.com/posteritypress/
 
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lastdingo       7/5/2007 9:35:11 PM
He was overly occupied with praising the "Eastern" approach as if all of them were assault engineers.
Furthermore, he developed a hilarious affection for ninjutsu and saw the roots for half of the "Eastern" traits in ninjutsu at some point.

Finally, he cam back to earth and published two books on islamic insurgent tactics that bear little resemblance to the older works. I wonder for what those books are good for, as the troops that are in iraq or will be sent there get much more up-to-date briefings and lessons in their army/MC.

But he's got a bright side; he certainly woke some people up and told them about tactics beyond firepower.
 
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Rooster03       7/9/2007 10:50:55 PM
  I've read four of his books:  tigers way, phantom soldier, militant tricks, and tactics of the crescent moon.  This only my personal opinion, but I think Lastdingo said it pretty well.  He makes alot of good points, but over-emphatically.  It is my belief that the army is far less dogmatic and top-down that he believes it to be.  In my experience the US army does a pretty good job of empowering it's junior officers and NCOs to lead agressively.  The Army Officer's Guide states in no uncertian terms that officers are expected and empowered to take initiative and when necessary, disobey orders when their proximity to the situation gives them better awareness than a higher commander.  It's why they make the big bucks.     
  I do like his emphasis on skill over technology.  Land warrior was a joke.  But again I think that at times he goes too far in dismissing technology as unnecessary compared to skill.  As in most things, perfection is somewhere in the middle.
 
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