General Peter Uhm: I chose a different instrument @ TEDx

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General Peter Uhm: I chose a different instrument @ TEDx

How a military commander explains his role in making a better world

By Curt

Culture • November 2011 • Views: 1,013

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4 comments

Bob Dillon Tue, Nov 29, 2011 8:09:00am

A true warrior with the ability to express himself and his mission clearly, simply and profoundly. Brought tears to my eyes.

CuriousLurker Tue, Nov 29, 2011 9:02:36am

Excellent explanation. I don’t think I ever fully understood the defensive need for armed forces before, at least not consciously—and certainly never as clearly.

Well done, General Uhm.

I have to wonder though, what keen military minds will come up with where there is no readily identifiable enemy, such as we have seen so often in recent years where guerrillas/insurgents/terrorists/etc. blend in with the civilian population, making them extremely difficult to identify and nearly impossible to rout without also inflicting extensive civilian casualties.

Curt Tue, Nov 29, 2011 11:02:53am

re: #2 CuriousLurker

I have to wonder though, what keen military minds will come up with where there is no readily identifiable enemy, such as we have seen so often in recent years where guerrillas/insurgents/terrorists/etc. blend in with the civilian population, making them extremely difficult to identify and nearly impossible to rout without also inflicting extensive civilian casualties.

History is replete with cases of large militaries struggling with how to adapt to significant shifts in the “environment” of war. The US had three cases already in my life time, and is struggling with exactly what you mention. First the shift to a small manned armed force with a “big stick” nuclear deterrent, then remanning, yet in a “heavy armor” configuration for the Cold War and ending up in the jungles of SE Asia, and finally to the downsizing of the large forces built up in the 80’s to contain the Communists on a more global basis. Here we are, still I see vestiges of the Cold War forces and thoughts in the manner in which things happen, with adaptations coming on the fly, but….that is very much the story…all the way back to the Peloponnesian War in Greece.

And don’t forget, China is building a large naval force, that looks very much like the Soviet Navy in the Cold War era, with capabilities capable of projecting power beyond their island chain defenses….and the military to counter that, if need be, will not look like the one to fight terrorists that blend with the populace and fight under no sovereign nation’s flag.

CuriousLurker Tue, Nov 29, 2011 11:44:20am

Thanks for the explanation & link.

Here we are, still I see vestiges of the Cold War forces and thoughts in the manner in which things happen, with adaptations coming on the fly, but…that is very much the story…all the way back to the Peloponnesian War in Greece.

See, that’s what I was thinking: Modern-day terrorists surely can’t have been the first ones to come up with the idea of hiding amongst the civilian population, and I say this a someone who has basically zero knowledge of military history. I suspect that what may be different is that in the past it was (more) acceptable to wipe out large swaths of civilians along with the bad guys. Today, not so much.

What I’m referring to is that life, at least according to the history books and until fairly recently, was pretty brutal. There was no universal concept of human rights, no court of world opinion, no instant global communication. Even the most benevolent, civilized societies & rulers were capable of great cruelty & disregard for human life when opposed or threatened. Who, half a world away, would know what they were doing? Even if they did, who was going to stop them and how?

Of course, I’m judging them by today’s standards, but therein lies the rub—massive civilian casualties are no longer acceptable, so…? What to do? (I don’t expect you to actually answer that, I’m just thinking out loud.)

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