Compass Points - Hatred & Hubris

New article by Grant Newsham

Compass Points - Hatred & Hubris

New article by Grant Newsham

March 7, 2024

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Congratulations Grant Newsham!

Author and Marine, Grant Newsham, is an expert on the military situation in the Pacific. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Center for Security Policy:

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Grant Newsham is a Senior Fellow with the Center for Security Policy. He also is a Research Fellow at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies focusing on Asia/Pacific defense, political and economic matters. Newsham is a retired U.S. Marine Colonel and was the first US Marine Liaison Officer to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. He also served as reserve head of intelligence for Marine Forces Pacific, and was the U.S. Marine Attaché, US Embassy Tokyo on two occasions.

-- Center for Security Policy

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Grant Newsham's latest article for the Asia Times, "US Marine Force Design 2030: Hatred and Hubris" is a hard-hitting analysis of the Marine Corps' Force Design 2030.

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What is particularly interesting about the article is Newsham admits he was a fan of Force Design. He thought a pivot back to the Pacific was important for the US military in general and for the Marine Corps particularly. He originally thought Force Design was, "a breath of fresh air." As many authors have noted, Force Design might have had value as an addition to proven Marine capabilities. Instead of adding to the strength of the Marine Corps, however, Force Design subtracted from the Marine Corps and made it weaker.

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Should the Marine Corps change its focus from a global, flexible, crisis response force to a focus on small units of Marines with missiles on defense on islands near China's coast? Grant Newsham digs into the issues.

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The Marines needed some new thinking . . . .

This was good. And overdue.

However, there were a few questions that nobody could quite answer:

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-- Where to put the small, detached missile units? 

Obviously important, but this hadn’t been figured out. 

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-- How to hide the units?

It was said they would be small and “low-signature” and would move around. But missile batteries are not small.  And Westerners stand out.  Once spotted, the Marines might be running for their lives.

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-- How to supply the units?

Forage for chickens and lizards? There was talk of building 35 light amphibious ships. They presumably were not invisible. And one Marine General noted they’d be pulled back in the event things got dangerous – since they couldn’t take a hit.  

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-- Substitute unmanned aerial vehicles or aircraft?

These issues should have been resolved before rolling out FD 2030.  If the designers missed these, what else did they miss?

The plan was now making one feel like John the Apostle. “It was in my mouth sweet as honey: and [soon after] I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.” (Revelations 10:10)

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-- Divest to invest

In order to implement FD 2030 and obtain necessary hardware the Marine Corps considerably reduced its infantry, aircraft, and artillery – and eliminated its tanks and even its bridging equipment (helpful for getting across rivers) that one still finds on even the modern battlefield.

In other words, FD 2030 was not an add-on to existing Marine Corps capabilities that were still useful in many situations.  Instead, the Marines would give up capability.

They called it “divest to invest.”

This seems akin to a carpenter tossing tools out of his tool box that he knows he’ll need.

But this was the price to pay for revamping the Marine Corps.

One heard different justifications – centered on money and/or the changing nature of warfare . . . .

This all could be true. 

But it presumes remarkable clairvoyance about future conflicts. If you have that, you ought to also be able to make a bundle on sports betting and the stock market.

-- Grant Newsham, Asia Times

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There is much more to Grant Newsham's article and the whole piece is worth a full read. Anyone looking to pass along just one article as a quick update on the Force Design controversy could hardly do better than Grant Newsham's article.

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For those looking for more on the defective decision making of Force Design, the Compass Points post of 09/25/2023 "Vision 2035" provides links to a half dozen crucial articles. Beyond that, the latest "Index of Prominent Articles Addressing Concerns with Force Design 2030" (v.6.1) provides links to more than 100 articles.

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Compass Points salutes Grant Newsham for his perceptive and powerful article and salutes all those expanding the discussion about the Marine Corps' future.

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Asia Times - 03/05/2024

 US Marine Force Design 2030: Hatred and Hubris

New plan, but instead of an add-on to existing capabilities the Marines would give up capability.

By Grant Newsham

https://asiatimes.com/2024/03/us-marine-force-design-2030-hatred-and-hubris/

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Compass Points - Vision 2035

Seven kindling twigs

September 25, 2023

https://marinecorpscompasspoints.substack.com/p/compass-points-vision-2035

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INDEX OF PROMINENT ARTICLES ADDRESSING CONCERNS WITH FORCE DESIGN 2030

Note: This is version 6.1 of March 1, 2024. Articles are hyperlinked to titles. The primary index (topic areas A-J) consists of 115 articles, authored or coauthored by 78 different writers, and published in 37 different media outlets.  The index of supporting articles (topic area K) consists of an additional 43 articles, authored, or coauthored, by 42 different writers, and published in 26 different media outlets. 

https://mega.nz/file/smJy3JDQ#-so1SJD-z4j_BdOvksSUsyPveFbVyEQaFhJ6Z9DCIzU