Sir, – We all have heard the quip, “ready, fire, aim”. In fact those words were not just a joke. For centuries after infantry soldiers were given the rifle, they were ordered not to take the time to aim; rather, they were instructed just to point in the general direction of the enemy and fire. Their commanders believed that it was the mass impact, the “broadside,” that won the day.
Our leaders still believe it. They think that our “shock and awe”, our marvellous technology measured in stealth bombers, drones, all-knowing intelligence, our massed and highly mobile troops and our money constitute a devastating broadside.
All we have to do is to point in the right direction and shoot.
So we shoot and then shoot again and again. We win each battle, but the battles keep happening.
And to our chagrin, we don’t seem to be winning the wars. – Yours, etc,
PETER BAXTER,
Springate Road,
Southwick,
Brighton,
England.