Advice for Dick Cheney

Col. Harry Summers, who is often capable of unusually incisive analysis of the problems of waging war, could have been more helpful in his advice to Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney (“Cheney’s Job: Visualize the Wars and Roles We’re Equipping For,” Op-Ed Page, March 31).

Cheney may well turn out to be a superb bean-counter and paper-shuffler, in the best tradition of Robert McNamara, but it is doubtful he is capable of visualizing war. One pretty much has to have been in one to have any real understanding of what it takes just to stay in the field, much less win. Cheney lacks that experience. So, the best advice one could give Cheney is: Seek out the few warriors who still survive among the gaggle of commissioned bureaucrats who “lead” the uniformed services these days; solicit their advice, learn from their experience and their reflections on that experience. Then use that learning to effect reforms in strategy, forces and doctrine.

If, when Cheney leaves office, the U.S. can deploy military forces capable of successfully waging warfare against real enemies (the Grenadian Home Guard doesn’t count) in a variety of operational and political settings, without either having to go nuclear or cut-and-run to save their backside, he will have earned his pay, and maybe a place in history to boot.

ROLF P. COLT

El Cajon