# "Imperial Grunts" by Robert Kaplan



## a_majoor (21 Sep 2005)

This month's edition of Atlantic monthly has a new piece by Robert Kaplan titled "Imperial Grunts". The piece focus is on the work of American special Forces in the Philippines and Afghanistan, two of the less reported fronts in WW IV. Old principles are being rediscovered and applied (the Americans are even operating out of some of their old bases established during the Moro Insurgency in the 1890s!).

Kaplan's thesis is that the major impediments to success is the "Big Army" mindset, coupled with the inability of the host governments to follow up on the work of SF "A" teams and Kellogg, Root and Brown. This is also the lesson of the "Banana Wars", since once the Marines left, the local elites ignored infrastructure and organizations (see Max Boot, the "Savage Wars of Peace"). 

Kaplan's answer, supported by examples, is that local commanders need to be autonomous players, rather than the close coupled, micro managed organization that modern communications allow. This is somewhat in opposition to the requirement for local commanders to be able to access high quality information outside of what they generate themselves. The problem of local governments seems more intractable.

"Imperial Grunts" is set to become a book (released later this month), but the magazine article is a good introduction, and well worth reading.


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## Infanteer (21 Sep 2005)

Nice.  Kaplan is a pretty good author.  He was on the ground in Afghanistan when most in the West were still trying to place it on a map.


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## a_majoor (30 Sep 2005)

Two excellent reviews from Amazon.com on this book here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1400061326/ref=pd_sim_b_5/104-4439389-3265524?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

Kaplan excels in describing the here and now, especially from unexplored or unexpected places, but as one review points out, he is less clear in his analysis of these actions. Part of the problem is there really isn't a coherent whole, so the reason parts of the story don't seem to fit together is because while they work in isolation (a LCol in Mongolia working to prepare for the day Mongolia can provide troops to some future "Alliance of the willing"), they really aren't part of some coherent, central planning vision of the world.

This should be a fascinating read.


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## Younghusband (1 Oct 2005)

Always more about Kaplan here:

http://www.cominganarchy.com/archives/2005/09/28/a-gracious-meeting/


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## TangoTwoBravo (4 Oct 2005)

No trooper ever gets to heck
Ere he's emptied his canteen,
And so rides back to drink again
With friends at Fiddlers' Green.

Its funny how things come together sometimes.   A couple of weeks ago I was visiting Fort Knox and I slipped out of the official function for a moment to check out Fiddler's Green.   This is the relaxed bar at the Ft Knox Leaders Club where I spent many a Friday night several years ago.   The lines above are taken from a poem hung in the bar and from which the place takes its name.   It harkens to the time when the US Cavalry was fighting the battles against the various Indian tribes in the West. 

I was also reading Keegan's Six Armies in Normandy, which briefly descibes Leavenworth Kansas as one of the US Army's shrines due to its connection with the Indian Wars.   Reflecting on Keegan's book and my visit back to Knox, I was thinking on the plane back of how the US Army of today (and us) have a lot in common with those dusty cavalry troopers.   Now I've started reading Kaplan's book and he makes the link between what is going on now and the wars to settle the West circa 1870s.   It promises to be an interesting read.

I'll post back here when I finish the book.   

"And so when man and horse go down
Beneath a saber keen
Or in a roaring charge of fierce melee
You stop a bullet clean
And the hostiles come to get your scalp
Just empty your canteen
And put your pistol to your head
And go to Fiddler's Green."

p.s. Upon reviewing,

That's interseting, the last word of the first line normally rhymes with bell, not beck.  Ah well, you get the picture.


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## TangoTwoBravo (5 Oct 2005)

There is a neat quote from the US Army Col in Mongolia about his time on the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff Course at Kingston in the 80s.  He speaks of the "fiece warrior ethic" there and that "I get angry whenever someone belittles the Canadian military."

2B


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## TangoTwoBravo (20 Oct 2005)

After reflecting on the book for a week or so I will try to offer my thoughts.

The reader comes away with an appreciation of the global breadth of US military operations, some understanding of the various countries and theatres and, most importantly, a glimpse into the lives and operational experiences of US servicemen (almost all either Special Forces, Marines or officers) on the "frontier".  The author was granted access to several SF teams conducting operations and as a result the reader gets a view of that world up close.

I found the chapters on remote locations or relatively unreported regions very engaging (Phillipines, Columibia, Dijibouti, Yemen, Mongolia) and I came away with a much better understanding of those areas.  You get to know several officers and NCOs well through the author's travels and experiences with them.  The final chapter on the first battle at Fallujah was gripping. 

Several themes through the book that caught my attention.  The first was the perceived negative influence of "big Army" on operations in small wars.  Another was the effect of large support bases in-theatre that drain resources.  Finally, the need for a balance between force protection and mission accomplishment is discussed several times.  These issues all involve trade-offs and are indeed ones that need to be considered (you need balance).

A good glimpse of life and operations on the "frontier" and I highly recommend the book.


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## TheNomad (20 Oct 2005)

WW IV ?  Did I miss WW III ?

Can someone enlighten me as to when this occurred, or is it a reference to the Cold War?


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## a_majoor (20 Oct 2005)

WWIII was the Cold War, which we won in 1989.


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## Baloo (23 Oct 2005)

Excellent book. Had it three days, haven't had tons of time to read it but...excellent. 

I'm on the chapter about the Phillipines. Talk more about it later.


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## Britney Spears (23 Oct 2005)

If I ever get time to read this darn thing....


http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/GJ04Aa01.html



> BOOK REVIEW
> Do you call that an empire?
> Imperial Grunts by Robert Kaplan
> Buy this book
> ...


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## Kat Stevens (23 Oct 2005)

"And so when man and horse go down
Beneath a saber keen
Or in a roaring charge of fierce melee
You stop a bullet clean
And the hostiles come to get your scalp
Just empty your canteen
And put your pistol to your head
And go to Fiddler's Green."


I've read this somewhere before, only it went something like:

"When you're broken and bleeding
on Afghanistan's plains,
and the women come out
to cut up what remains,
then crawl to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
and go to your Gawd like a soldier."

Or something like that.


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## TangoTwoBravo (24 Oct 2005)

I had a hard time with the "empire" concept.  I see America as a hegemon, but not necessarily an empire.  Its soldiers are abroad for a variety of reasons, and I would not say that they are creating or policing an empire.  

Kat,

I think that the Afghan verse might be Kipling.  The "Fidder's Green" piece is somewhat "Kiplingesque."  Pretty much the same idea!

2B


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## Kat Stevens (24 Oct 2005)

I was being facetious (big word for today), forgot to do this.. ;D


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## TheNomad (25 Oct 2005)

"When you're broken and bleeding
on Afghanistan's plains,
and the women come out
to cut up what remains,
then crawl to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
and go to your Gawd like a soldier."

That is by Kipling.


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## TheNomad (25 Oct 2005)

Just found the whole peom:

The Young British Soldier 

When the 'arf-made recruity goes out to the East
'E acts like a babe an' 'e drinks like a beast,
An' 'e wonders because 'e is frequent deceased
Ere 'e's fit for to serve as a soldier.
      Serve, serve, serve as a soldier,
      Serve, serve, serve as a soldier,
      Serve, serve, serve as a soldier,
         So-oldier _of_ the Queen!

Now all you recruities what's drafted to-day,
You shut up your rag-box an' 'ark to my lay,
An' I'll sing you a soldier as far as I may:
A soldier what's fit for a soldier.
      Fit, fit, fit for a soldier . . .

First mind you steer clear o' the grog-sellers' huts,
For they sell you Fixed Bay'nets that rots out your guts --
Ay, drink that 'ud eat the live steel from your butts --
An' it's bad for the young British soldier.
      Bad, bad, bad for the soldier . . .

When the cholera comes -- as it will past a doubt --
Keep out of the wet and don't go on the shout,
For the sickness gets in as the liquor dies out,
A' it crumples the young British soldier.
      Crum-, crum-, crumples the soldier . . .

But the worst o' your foes is the sun over'ead:
You must wear your 'elmet for all that is said:
If 'e finds you uncovered 'e'll knock you down dead,
An' you'll die like a fool of a soldier.
      Fool, fool, fool of a soldier . . .

If you're cast for fatigue by a sergeant unkind,
Don't grouse like a woman nor crack on nor blind;
Be handy and civil, and then you will find
That it's beer for the young British soldier.
      Beer, beer, beer for the soldier . . .

Now, if you must marry, take care she is old --
A troop-sergeant's widow's the nicest I'm told,
For beauty won't help if your rations is cold,
Nor love ain't enough for a soldier.
      'Nough, 'nough, 'nough for a soldier . . .

If the wife should go wrong with a comrade, be loath
To shoot when you catch 'em -- you'll swing, on my oath! --
Make 'im take 'er and keep 'er:  that's Hell for them both,
An' you're shut o' the curse of a soldier.
      Curse, curse, curse of a soldier . . .

When first under fire an' you're wishful to duck,
Don't look nor take 'eed at the man that is struck,
Be thankful you're livin', and trust to your luck
And march to your front like a soldier.
      Front, front, front like a soldier . . .

When 'arf of your bullets fly wide in the ditch,
Don't call your Martini a cross-eyed old bitch;
She's human as you are -- you treat her as sich,
An' she'll fight for the young British soldier.
      Fight, fight, fight for the soldier . . .

When shakin' their bustles like ladies so fine,
The guns o' the enemy wheel into line,
Shoot low at the limbers an' don't mind the shine,
For noise never startles the soldier.
      Start-, start-, startles the soldier . . .

If your officer's dead and the sergeants look white,
Remember it's ruin to run from a fight:
So take open order, lie down, and sit tight,
And wait for supports like a soldier.
      Wait, wait, wait like a soldier . . .

When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier.
      Go, go, go like a soldier,
      Go, go, go like a soldier,
      Go, go, go like a soldier,
         So-oldier _of_ the Queen!

 	-- Rudyard Kipling


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## Nieghorn (12 Dec 2005)

I'm in the Military Book Club and forgot to reply to my little card thing last month.  This book is coming to me now, and not disappointed it is after having read these accounts.  I own another book about Special Forces from Panama to Kuwait to Afghanistan to Iraq . . . title escapes me now, but 'Chaos' is in the title, I think.  Anyway, good book and the 'big army' concept is in there as well.  Reminds me of an article that talked about how Spec Forces were getting annoyed with 82nd Airborne troops kicking in doors and frightening the locals undoing the allegiances created by simple talking in the native tongue and having some tea.  Makes you wonder why the brass still look down on the Special Forces if the work they do has been so effective?


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