3 Learning Leave to • Brown THE 3 DREW PER PA S Learning to Leave e Preeminence of Disengagement in US Military Strategy R. Greg Brown Major, USAF ISBN: 978-1-58566-181-7 ISSN: 1941-3785 AIR UNIVERSITY AIR FORCE RESEARCH INSTITUTE Learning to Leave The Preeminence of Disengagement in US Military Strategy R. GREG BROWN Major, USAF Drew Paper No. 3 Air University Press Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama 36112-5962 May 2008 Muir S. Fairchild Research Information Center Cataloging Data Brown, R. Greg. Learning to leave : the preeminence of disengagement in US military strategy / R. Greg Brown. p. ; cm. – (Drew paper, 1941-3785 ; no. 3) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-58566-181-7. 1. Strategy. 2. Disengagement (Military science) 3. War—Termination. 4. United States—Military policy. I. Title. II. Series. 355.02—dc22 Disclaimer Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Air University, the United States Air Force, the Department of Defense, or any other US government agency. Cleared for public release: distribution unlimited. This Drew Paper and others in the series are available electronically at the Air University Research Web site http://research.maxwell.af.mil and the AU Press Web site http://aupress.maxwell.af.mil. ii The Drew Papers The Drew Papers are occasional publications sponsored by the Air Force Research Institute (AFRI), Maxwell AFB, Alabama. AFRI publishes this series of papers to commemorate the dis- tinguished career of Col Dennis “Denny” Drew, USAF, retired. In 30 years at Air University, Colonel Drew served on the Air Command and Staff College faculty, directed the Airpower Re- search Institute, and served as dean, associate dean, and pro- fessor of military strategy at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB. Colonel Drew is one of the Air Force’s most extensively published authors and an interna- tional speaker in high demand. He has lectured to over 100,000 students at Air University as well as to foreign military audi- ences. In 1985 he received the Muir S. Fairchild Award for out- standing contributions to Air University. In 2003 Queen Bea- trix of the Netherlands made him a Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau for his contributions to education in the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The Drew Papers are dedicated to promoting the understand- ing of air and space power theory and application. 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Twining St. Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6026 Tel: (334) 953-9587 DSN 493-9587 Fax: (334) 953-6739 DSN 493-6739 E-mail: [email protected] iv Contents Chapter Page DISCLAIMER . ii FOREWORD . vii ABOUT THE AUTHOR . ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . xi 1 INTRODUCTION . 1 Notes . 9 2 DISENGAGEMENT IN STRATEGY . 11 Notes . 23 3 DISENGAGEMENT IN THE COLD WAR . 25 Notes . 55 4 DISENGAGEMENT IN THE NEW WORLD ORDER . 59 Notes . 80 5 REFRAMING DISENGAGEMENT . 83 Notes . 97 6 EFFECTS OF BARRIERS . 99 Notes . 115 7 CONCLUSION . 117 Note . 121 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 123 Illustrations Figure 1 Possible approaches to US grand strategy . 26 2 Effect of Army culture on strategy . 94 v CONTENTS Page Tables 1 Congruence in national strategy . 19 2 Evolution of joint operations phasing model . 21 3 US strategies and conflicts since World War II . 28 vi Foreword National security strategy (NSS) changes from president to president. These changes are often referred to as doctrines. Some represent explicit grand strategy, while others require examinations of policy to ferret out. Their enduring traits, how- ever, are most important to national military strategy (NMS). What has endured in America’s superpower experience since World War II is that the United States engages forward in times of peace and fights forward in times of war. In this respect, Maj R. Greg Brown’s Learning to Leave in- forms strategy at the highest stations of power. He notes that strategy is about managing context and that the context of US national security changed with the end of the Cold War, al- though its organizing framework did not fundamentally change. Through a thoughtful synthesis of history and organizational theory, Major Brown reveals misperceptions that add to the outdated security framework to further hinder disengagement. In the nexus of the end of the Cold War, the peace dividend, and an increasingly expansive NSS, he finds the historical parallel between the NSS and the NMS no longer appropriate, as it leads military and civilian policy makers to overextend the military. The rather counterintuitive conclusion that follows is that to sustain an expansive NSS of engagement, conflicts—when they arise—must be planned with an eye on disengagement of mili- tary forces at the earliest reasonable opportunity. As strategic military disengagement is anathema to our national security apparatus and military culture, it must demand preeminence in the NMS to ensure timely disengagement. Regarding current conflicts, Major Brown avoids prescrip- tions. As we approach the historical inflection point between presidential doctrines, however, we have an opportunity to con- sider if the end of the Cold War, progress in the current struggle against violent extremism, or the global strategic environment of the twenty-first century warrants a reassessment of our na- tional security structures and policies and the relationship be- tween NSS and NMS. Major Brown writes with a command of the facts and a com- pelling style. This work is in various degrees historical, theo- retical, counterintuitive, and shocking. While certainly not an vii FOREWORD airpower treatise, it offers keen observations and sound les- sons on the use of the proper force for the objective, and it resonates with the inherent advantages that airpower provides national security decision makers. Originally written as a mas- ter’s thesis for Air University’s School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS), Learning to Leave was selected by the Air University Foundation as the best SAASS thesis for aca- demic year 2006–7. It is a fitting installment for the Drew Pa- pers. I am pleased to commend this excellent study and am encouraged by what it portends for national security thought in the ranks of our Air Force. DAVID A. DEPTULA, Lt Gen, USAF Deputy Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance viii About the Author Maj R. Greg Brown was commissioned through the United States Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1992 as a distinguished graduate. He received a bachelor’s degree in Rus- sian Studies from the University of Oklahoma. After graduating from Intelligence Technical Training in 1993, he served as the first-ever chief of intelligence for the B-1B Formal Training Unit. He subsequently attended the Air Force Weapons School, fol- lowed by service as an intelligence weapons officer for a com- posite wing and the provisional wing supporting Operation Southern Watch. While assigned as an instructor at the Air Force Weapons School, he obtained a master’s degree in Aero- nautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He deployed as the intelligence duty officer in the combined air operations center during Operation Enduring Freedom. Major Brown then served on the Air Staff as action officer and pro- gram element monitor for a portfolio of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance infrastructure programs in excess of $2 bil- lion, all focused on operational- and tactical-level unit support. In the immediate aftermath of Operation Iraqi Freedom ma- jor combat operations, Major Brown again deployed to the com- bined air operations center, this time as the Air Force forces deputy director for intelligence. He was then selected to be the director of operations for the 609th Air Intelligence Squadron and was directly responsible for all intelligence operations in the Central Command Air Forces area of operations. In 2006 Major Brown graduated from the Air Force Institute of Tech- nology Intermediate Developmental Education program with a master’s degree in Strategic Leadership and immediately en- tered the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. Major Brown, his wife Laura, and twin boys Payton and Blake, left Maxwell for Washington, DC, and a second Air Staff tour. Editor’s Note: Major Brown was promoted to lieutenant colonel effective 1 April 2008 and subsequently selected to command the 547th Intelligence Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nevada. ix Acknowledgments The initial idea for this thesis came from a study that Dr. Richard Andres and others at Air University worked for the chief of staff of the Air Force, Gen T. Michael Moseley. The study explored ways the US Air Force could use airpower to help US ground forces disengage from operations in Iraq. Intrigued by the question and skeptical of popularly espoused analogies to Vietnam, I nonetheless latched on to the idea of there being fundamental lessons from past wars that the United States fails to learn.