The impact of the ‘long peace’ on modern military capabilities
> What is – quietly, because they haven’t tried to launch a major invasion recently – most militaries are probably similarly incapable of the basic tasks of industrial warfare?I once read an article that argued in the absence of war, it's impossible to tell if a doctrine or commander is good or not.Maybe you've got five officers up for promotion. One officer wants to give soldiers high-tech equipment, a heads-up display in every helmet and a grenade-dropping drone in every backpack.One officer wants to train loads of soldiers as linguists, so they can win hearts and minds in any country they might occupy.One officer wants to focus on PR at home, as maintaining a steady supply of cash and adventurous young men is key to winning any conflict.One officer wants to cut bureaucracy and red tape, as every individual in a support function is someone not in a front-line function, and it's front line fighters that win battles.One officer thinks the important thing is physical conditioning and classic soldiering - Marching, marksmanship, long hikes carrying heavy backpacks.How do you decide who to promote, if it's 30 years since you were last at war and none of them has ever won a real battle?