After celebrating the Marine Corps birthday and Veterans Day, Compass Points is refreshed and energized for the work of helping to make the Marine Corps stronger, today and tomorrow.
Celebrated author and Marine, Bing West, lit the candles on the Marine Corps birthday cake with a fiery article about FD 2030. Writing in the National Review, West argues that FD 2030, in pursuit of an ineffective approach to China, has unwisely slashed Marine infantry battalions, artillery, tanks, and aircraft leaving Marine forces less capable.
How can it make sense, asks West, to turn the Marine Corps from rifle infantry to missile infantry? In addition, the whole FD 2030 theory puts the Marine Corps on defense, waiting along the Pacific island chain for enemy ships that may never come. Worst of all, says West, there is no need for the Marine Corps to create its own anti-ship capability when the Navy can do the job better today. Full article at link below.
National Review (nationalreview.com) November 10, 2022
The Corner
National Security & Defense
Marines Flummoxed on Their Birthday
By Bing West
. . . This tradeoff from infantry man to missile man has been applauded by the administration and Congress. And why not? It seemed innovative and forward-looking, and it came at no additional dollar cost. The Marines transformed themselves. If you are an outside observer, what’s not to like? '. . .
. . . Obviously, the Marines must innovate. The lesson to guide them is clear. The war in Ukraine has driven home the lethality of small infantry units equipped with drones and linked to mobile, long-range precision artillery. Buy those proven systems instead of morphing into a redundant anti-ship missile force. The Marines should celebrate their birthday by resolving to remain an infantry-centric combined-arms force in readiness.
Bing West, a former assistant secretary of defense and combat Marine, is the author of a dozen books about Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. His latest is The Last Platoon: A Novel of the Afghanistan War. @BingWest
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/marines-flummoxed-on-their-birthday/