Is the US military really suited towards fighting a 4th generation war against terrorism?

Question

Seriously, when you look at it, is the US army really suited to fighting terrorists or rogue states? When you look at the American forces, they look like they are going to fight a modern version of WWII or the Cold War! Seriously, I mean, why do you need:

- 12 carrier battle groups
- support 3 fighter groups (like the f-22 or f-35 is ever going to lure mujahadeens out of the street or the mountain or the desert)
- 50 nuclear attack submarines and a dozen ballistic missile subs
- about 5000 tanks
- training tactics for "high-intensity war"
- thousands of air superiority fighters, and dozens, if not hundreds of heave bombers

Is that really the best options to fight terrorism, which the Bush administration repeatedly declares it top priority? What could they be doing better right now? I mean, that does not seem like the best option for counter-guerilla warfare.

Answer 1

Congratulations. You are one of the few people who even realize that the concept of a fourth generation war exists.

Our forces are learning. There is still politics involved at the top, but most good soldiers are already studying new ways to cope.
Read this article:
http://www.military.com/Opinions/0,,Lind_070705,00.html

Then download the PDF of the mock field manual that is available and print it out. You will want to read it again and again.

Answer 2

The recent engagement in Somalia was a nice change; we had Ethiopia do all the work and sent in some Special Ops and C-130 gunships. That works.