WASHINGTON — The U.S. military must use measured and precise strikes, not overwhelming force, in the wars it is likely to face in the future, the nation’s top uniformed officer said Wednesday in outlining a revised approach to American security.
The view outlined by Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, differs both from the doctrine of overwhelming force advanced by Colin Powell, a former Joint Chiefs chairman, and the “shock and awe” approach of former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
“There is no single, defining American way of war,” Mullen argued. “It changes over time, and it should change over time, adapting appropriately to the most relevant threats to our national security.”
Mullen’s views, presented in a speech on the role of the U.S. armed forces, mirror the latest U.S.-led offensive in Afghanistan, a showcase effort in which troops in Marjah are trying not only to seize control of territory but also gain influence over the local population in a bid to break the hold of insurgents.
His comments are significant because the Joint Chiefs chairman under the Constitution serves as the president’s chief military adviser. Mullen also has emerged as an influential Pentagon thinker, deeply involved in shaping U.S. policies on issues ranging from resources for Afghanistan to gays in the military.
Mullen, who spoke at Kansas State University, held out Marjah as a model of the kind of warfare he was describing. There, the military announced in advance plans to retake the city and emphasized careful use of force.
“We did not prep the battlefield with carpet bombing or missile strikes,” Mullen said. “We simply walked in, on time. Because, frankly, the battlefield isn’t necessarily a field anymore. It’s in the minds of the people.”
Some officers and analysts think those self-imposed restrictions have allowed the Taliban to escape the most effective and potent U.S. weapons, potentially endangering American and allied troops.
Also, despite careful planning and strict limits on the use airpower, civilians have been killed, drawing sharp criticism from Afghan officials.
In another shift in thinking, Mullen said in his speech that policymakers now and in the future should consider the U.S. military not as a last resort solution in a crisis, but as part of early U.S. responses to conflicts and disasters.
“Military forces are some of the most flexible and adaptable tools available to policymakers,” he said. “Before a shot is even fired, we can bolster a diplomatic argument, support a friend or deter an enemy.”
Mullen emphasized that military power must be used alongside other government tools. Similarly, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, speaking at the same venue in 2007, called for increased spending on the State Department.
