Best General to Fight the Taliban?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Best General to Fight the Taliban?

Posted: 10/31/2001 5:20:59 AM EDT

Imagine that you could go back in history and choose any of America's (or the Confederacy's) great military leaders to come to the present to take charge of the war in Afghanistan. (As part of the deal, this historic figure would instantly get all of the knowledge needed to get "up to speed" on modern technology and geopolitics.) Who would you choose?

Posted: 10/31/2001 6:50:10 AM EDT

[#1]

N.B. Forest

Posted: 10/31/2001 7:38:04 AM EDT

[#2]

Frank Merrill of Merrill's Marauders fame. Will require someone with a lot of behind the lines experience. This one isn't going to be like other wars.

Or maybe Wild Bill Donovan of the OSS.

Posted: 10/31/2001 7:52:50 AM EDT

[#3]

Obviously it has to be Patton. He wouldn't be afraid to hit them hard and hit them again.

Posted: 10/31/2001 8:35:35 AM EDT

[#4]

Robert E. Lee , and if we can slip Jeb Sturat in there, I would reenlist.

Posted: 10/31/2001 1:54:50 PM EDT

[#5]

Storming Norman or Patton. Norman would be my first choice because military strategy has changed WAY too much lately.

But then again, the best choice may turn out to be Truman.

Posted: 10/31/2001 2:32:05 PM EDT

[#6]

I was thinking of Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, USMC.

1) Experienced in low intensity conflict (Haiti and Nicaragua).

2) Experienced in fighting in mountainous terrain (Korea).

3) Balls of steel! [:D]

Posted: 10/31/2001 3:21:17 PM EDT

[#7]

How about General Motors?

Posted: 10/31/2001 4:08:15 PM EDT

[#8]

Curtis"Bomb them back to the Stoneage" LeMay.

Posted: 10/31/2001 4:15:02 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Robert E. Lee , and if we can slip Jeb Sturat in there, I would reenlist.

View Quote

If there is a AR-15.com "your so damn right I can't stand it!" award,you should get it.[:D]

Posted: 10/31/2001 5:07:38 PM EDT

[#10]

The ones we have right now. They can draw on the influences of all these men, plus they are better trained. But I do understand sometimes the US or any other country produces war fighters be they Generals or otherwise who seem to be bread for the sole purpose of fighting a war. They love it and are good at it.

Ben

Posted: 10/31/2001 5:48:24 PM EDT

[#11]

Please excuse this Yankee's ignorance, but I have always thought that the citizens of the Confederate States of America were, and have always been [b]Americans[/b] first, last and always.

Posted: 10/31/2001 5:53:25 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Please excuse this Yankee's ignorance, but I have always thought that the citizens of the Confederate States of America were, and have always been [b]Americans[/b] first, last and always.

View Quote

What can I say you are right,the war was a BIG mistake. But what the hell,it's to late now.
We should have hung our Reps. and sent somebody to DC that would tell the Yanks to get off our damn back.

Posted: 10/31/2001 7:28:41 PM EDT

[#13]

I think the crop of commanders since Vietnam have been too politcally correct.

I would normally prefer a Robt. E Lee, but for this war, William Tecumseh Sherman would be the man. He would start his army in Tadjikistan, sweep through Afghanistan, then Iran and finish up in Iraq.

Posted: 11/1/2001 9:17:20 AM EDT

[#14]

We are Americans first and always, but I to have a heratage I am proud of. I grew up in mid FL, I had paintings of both Robert E. Lee and Jeb Sturat (SP, because I can't) over my bed. The question was, who would I pick, my grandfather the great great great one fought beside Jeb, and I am a bit proud of that too. I wish I could share the family bible with ya'll. I am a retired infantryman (nco), my Grandfather (mothers father) was a Navy Adm. and my father was one of the first NCOs in the Airforce. So I am a bit proud of where god blessed me to be born. However, the Sherman idea is not bad.

SFC(ret) Rew E. Williams

Posted: 11/4/2001 8:33:13 PM EDT

[#15]

My pick is General Shelton. He's a Special Forces man. He would know how to run this thing. This new guy is arty and I hear he dont like SF.
JMHO
BP

Posted: 11/7/2001 8:33:22 AM EDT

[#16]

how about Commander Kurtz !!!

Posted: 11/7/2001 12:56:08 PM EDT

[#17]

Uncle Billy Sherman!
He did a number on Atlanta. Think of what the man could do with FAE.....
Then again, Grant wouldn't be too bad either. What were his words to Sheridan regarding the Shenandoah Valley? "Burn it so that a crow flying over would have to carry it's own provender.."

Posted: 11/8/2001 10:42:17 AM EDT

[#18]

Patton. Or possibley the Francis Marion (aka the Swamp Fox), or General Cook who successfully fought the Apaches.

Posted: 11/9/2001 4:31:01 PM EDT

[#19]

Genghis Khan
He has already done it

Posted: 11/10/2001 5:11:03 PM EDT

[#20]

Field Marshall Erwin Rommell

Posted: 11/18/2001 2:46:09 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
My pick is General Shelton. He's a Special Forces man. He would know how to run this thing. This new guy is arty and I hear he dont like SF.
JMHO
BP

View Quote

Man, I worked directly under Colonel Franks when he was Divarty CO with the 1CD, and then later after he became CoS, 1CD. The dude commands respect like you wouldn't believe. LOL, all the Officers were scared to death of him, cause they knew their 1st f*ck-up would be their last. The guy's got balls, too. I know he's a 4-star now, but to me, he'll always be Col. Franks. Trust me, we got a damn good one in place.

Posted: 11/18/2001 5:21:25 AM EDT

[#22]

Speaking with hindsight, it looks like anyone could command the ground troops. The Taliban may be brave, but bravery means nothing to a Daisy Cutter or a gunship.

Posted: 11/18/2001 9:21:08 AM EDT

[#23]

Custer!!! The boy general with huevos who will have learned from his fatal mistake.

Posted: 11/18/2001 2:10:59 PM EDT

[#24]

General Winter--- or is that the best General to fight Nazis with?

Colonel Kurz, if he is available.

Posted: 11/20/2001 11:58:27 PM EDT

[#25]

Well, the Great Genghis Khan handed them their ass in the 13th century.
Alexander the Great handed them their ass in 350 B.C..
While the Russians lost 10,000 guys, how many did the Afghans loose? A million?
Nathan Bedford Forrest could whip them from the last century.
We will hand them their ass in a matter of months. They may be talented at blowing up old ladies and children or shooting journalist in the back and raping his corpse. But, if you look through the history of these crap talking "terrorists" they have and will always get their asses handed to them by real soldiers. They will understand why the USMC and Army's elite forces are so elite.
When they attack actual combatants I will be impressed.
My granny can shoot up a playground, I would not call her a warrior for God because of it.

Posted: 11/24/2001 9:12:16 AM EDT

[#26]

I'll second the vote for Gen. Franks. I never served under him but from what I know about him he is THE MAN. The more I learn about WWII the less I think of Patton. (Patton vetoed brining heavy tanks into the european war(Pershings) and many people were killed because of this)Obviously a major error that might have been avoided by someone less intrested in himself than his troops.

Posted: 11/24/2001 8:18:30 PM EDT

[#27]

Benedict Arnold, before he lost his leg.

Posted: 11/24/2001 8:26:15 PM EDT

[#28]

Re Gen Franks:

"The dude commands respect like you wouldn't believe. LOL, all the Officers were scared to death of him, cause they knew their 1st f*ck-up would be their last."

Oh boy, just what we need, a real hero. If his officers are afraid to make mistakes they will get people killed for nothing just like Viet Nam. West Point no doubt.

Posted: 11/24/2001 8:38:42 PM EDT

[#29]

Alexander the Great. Genius, pure genius. Napoleon. Genius, pure genius. Not only did these two invent tactics that are still studied today, they commanded devotion and affection that returned 110%.

Posted: 11/28/2001 9:02:04 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
Re Gen Franks:

"The dude commands respect like you wouldn't believe. LOL, all the Officers were scared to death of him, cause they knew their 1st f*ck-up would be their last."

Oh boy, just what we need, a real hero. If his officers are afraid to make mistakes they will get people killed for nothing just like Viet Nam. West Point no doubt.

View Quote

Would you rather have somebody in charge who would just "let it slide" if one of his Officers made a "little mistake" which cost the lives of his troops? Moron.

Posted: 11/28/2001 9:15:00 PM EDT

[#31]

god dammit, where's another Patton when we need one. If he was in charge we would probably have already over run everything from china's border to egypt's border. After that those remaining would deal very nicely with us.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Best General to Fight the Taliban?

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