The Kurtz Papers
Preventive Strikes
by Col Walter E. Kurtz
I concede that wars should be fought when necessary not when we are forced to, and that failing to do so is ultimately bound to bring upon us even greater destruction as World War II has taught us all so well, but ultimately the real striking force of an army lies in its capacity to prevent full blown military confrontation whenever possible.
The many international treaties we are party to should not in that regard diminish in any ways our capacity to strike unilaterally whenever the Army and its intelligence services clearly identify a developing threat.
I would like to put emphasis on why the decision has to be that of the Army and its CIC and not subject to endless debates by the Congress, with all due respect, whose business it is to see to the welfare of the nation and not to dwell with professionals whose business is war on how rapidly an opportunity can present itself and disappear, or how many lives can be spared by striking decisively and nipping a war in its bud, putting an end to the rise to power of individuals who might come to present a threat in the future, eliminating military research before it materializes into a weapon, and so forth.
This exercise although seemingly of sound logic is rendered futile by the notion that to see to the welfare of the nation also entails oversight by the United States Congress over any matters pertaining to war.
My intention here is not to circumvent the act of declaring war, its requirements and procurements are clearly inscribed in our constitution. What I have in mind does not amount to a declaration of war but simply signify to any third party that we will hit that target unfailingly whenever the opportunity presents itself, if we deem it to be worth hitting, war or no war.
That is my understanding of the lessons to be drawn from Pearl Harbor, that seen us caught in legalities and political posturing while our Navy was destroyed.
Perhaps in the future will we succeed at striking a better balance with the Congress so as not to impede our respective agendas; for although it is a wide mandate, that of the Congress, ours while more narrow in scope is equally important and we should be bent on exercising it fully.
Cordially, etc, etc.
