Comment on Post Yale Herald: Grand Strategy

Invaluable program at Yale.
A few thoughts on Egypt:

Let’s review the recent events in Egypt against some of the data and principles of Sun Tzu.

Intelligence, and the use of agents were central to Sun Tzu’s strategies and methods. Today, this would constitute having a good and reliable “intelligence estimate” or assessment of the situation leading to predictions of a high probability. Another attribute of intelligence is that it is covert or secret–the elements of surprise and “mis-direction” contribute majorly to probable victory.

SunTzu laid out and codified many principles which would be too numerous to mention in this blog–although it would make a great subject for a written piece to analyze current events: the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan: the Turmoil in the Middle East, etc.–against his strategies.

Simple fact: these are campaigns, well thought out and planned, utilizing the workable principles of war. Yes, social media acted as a light speed facilatator, and yes a students organized the various tactical maneuvers the public sees on television. But make no mistake–these events were well thought out in advance, coordinated, timed, planned using intelligence far superior to the “opponent’s” intelligence. Any other assertion is simply folly.

Who had the accurate intelligence assesment in Egypt? Who has the accurate intelligence assessment in the other countries currently undergoing social unrest in the Middle East? Who’s winning the coordinated campaign? Who ’s using the correct principles of warfare? Who stands to gain from these events?

I guess eventually, we will know.