AIRPOWER IMBALANCE

Air Commodore Tariq Mahmud Ashraf’s article “Airpower Imbalance: Nuclear Pakistan’s Achilles’ Heel” (Fall 2008) is intriguing. However, the points that he chooses not to address are extremely disturbing. Specifically, what is the definition of “economic strangling” (p. 15)? If India continues its economic development and becomes an even stronger regional economic power, would that constitute economic strangling? Also, is Pakistan saying that if domestic destabilization occurs, it could opt to use nuclear weapons against India? How can a government prove that a foreign government (India) is the cause of internal problems? Is there a threshold?

Lt Col Guillermo R. Gonzalez, USAF
Fairfax, Virginia

AIRPOWER IMBALANCE:
THE AUTHOR RESPONDS

Pakistan has had only one main seaport at ­Karachi, and although it has been supplemented somewhat by the construction of Port Qasim and the Gwadar Port, India’s blue-­water-capable navy could still attempt to choke Pakistan’s principal shipping routes. Once again, the limited range of the Pakistan Air Force’s aircraft precludes Pakistan’s ability to break any such naval blockade. Considering that all critical resources, including petroleum, are brought into Pakistan by sea, a sea-based economic blockade could have a crippling effect on Pakistan’s war potential.

Meddling in each other’s domestic activities has been a hallmark of both the Indian and Pakistani foreign intelligence agencies. Lately, India’s extensive inroads into Afghanistan, support to insurgent elements in Baluchistan, and attempts to foment dissent amongst the Pashtuns have been disturbing developments. Although it would take a lot for India to really be able to create domestic instability severe enough to threaten the very existence of Pakistan as a nation-state, the possibility does exist and cannot be eliminated. In the remote case in which suspected Indian interference in the domestic affairs of Pakistan reaches a level where the eventual breakup of the nation appears possible, Pakistani recourse to the nuclear option cannot and should not be ruled out.

Air Commodore Tariq Mahmud Ashraf,
Pakistan Air Force, Retired
Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

STRATEGY AND COST

I really enjoyed Lt Col Lawrence Spinetta’s article “Strategy and Cost: A Gap in Our Military Decision-Making Process” (Fall 2008). Last year, while attending the Army’s Command and General Staff College, I came to the same realization as Colonel Spinetta that cost—and economics in general—did not figure into the discussion during the military decision-making process. Even with our increased focus on information operations and stability operations, we don’t seem to consider cost and economic incentives as carefully as we should. As a comptroller and economist, I find that a bit disturbing.

Maj John C. Hansen, USAF
Laughlin AFB, Texas

THE ROLE OF AIR FORCE CIVIL ENGI-
NEERS IN COUNTERINSURGENCY

Lt Col Kendall Brown’s article “The Role of Air Force Civil Engineers in Counterinsurgency Operations” (Summer 2008) does a wonderful job of outlining the capabilities of Air Force civil engineers (CE) and the ways they have been effectively employed. However, there is a strategic component of our CE force structure that he does not address—the Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force (Prime BEEF) Staff Augmentation Team (S-Team). These teams complement Prime BEEF and the Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operations Repair Squadron, Engineers (RED HORSE) to complete the Air Force’s CE triad. The S-Teams exist only in the Air Reserve Component but have played an important role in supporting combatant commanders’ engineering needs in-theater since 11 September 2001. In fact, the S-Team capability is expanding. The Air National Guard is currently adding two new units in response to the demand.

Lt Col Mike Ray, North Carolina Air National Guard
Charlotte, North Carolina

LORENZ ON LEADERSHIP

The articles “Lorenz on Leadership” (Summer 2005) and “Lorenz on Leadership: Part 2” (Spring 2008) by Gen Stephen Lorenz are superb, and I hope to see a third article or even a book. I had the great personal honor of sitting in the front row at Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, when General Lorenz briefed us on leadership during my Air Force ROTC field training this summer. I definitely share his taste for the study of leadership.

I liked how General Lorenz used quotations from prominent historical figures. Those statements were a great touch and helped me grasp the thought process behind leadership principles. With respect to the general’s experiences as a student, I find myself in the same boat, which is why I appreciated the quotations from Winston Churchill. The real-world examples were also helpful to an aspiring leader like me. The principles are easier to apply when they come from a story that is easy to remember. I have noticed that when I follow General Lorenz’s advice and ask people how they are doing three times in a row, they answer sincerely and not halfheartedly. This is a great asset to a leader’s assessment of his or her people.

After reading the general’s articles and digesting the briefing he gave, I do wonder about a couple of things. First, the author mentions his time at the Air Force Academy as a cadet who earned less-than-perfect grades. It is humorous that he is now in charge of all Air Force education, but I’d like to know how he drew the inspiration to excel after he graduated from the academy. What caused the change? Second, during his briefing, General Lorenz said that the four things that get people in trouble are drugs, sex, alcohol, and money. Afterwards, all of us cadets and our Air Force officer mentors discussed that point extensively, and we generally agreed with what he said. I wonder why General Lorenz did not include those four things in his articles. I think that writing about them would help some readers. Maybe he could include that discussion in a future article.

The leadership principles presented by General Lorenz have made a profound impact on my life. Add my name to the long list of people whose lives he has influenced.

Cadet Matthew D. Dunlevy, Air Force ROTC
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

LORENZ ON LEADERSHIP: PART 2

“Lorenz on Leadership: Part 2” (Spring 2008) is a fantastic article. It not only tells about the art of leading servicemen but also radiates humaneness. Military leaders should manifest themselves as seniors because “you truly never know when you are going to make a difference” (p. 12). Leading one’s men in battle certainly inspires awe and respect but not necessarily love and affinity. Those things can be gained more often through warm caring about routine details. This reminds me of the tradition of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) that advocates communication and unity through “heart-to-heart” private talks between supervisors and subordinates. When nostalgic holidays come, senior leaders will travel to remote company and platoon barracks, dining and chatting with soldiers to learn about their concerns. This way, the PLA successfully maintains servicemen’s loyalty and the force’s power.

Wang Zhibo
Beijing, China

Editor’s Note: Lieutenant General Lorenz was recently promoted to the rank of four-star general. Mr. Wang read the Chinese version of his article at http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/apjinternational/apj-c/2008/ sum08/Lorenz.htm.

AIRPOWER’S CRUCIAL ROLE IN
IRREGULAR WARFARE

I very much enjoyed both the Chinese and English versions of Maj Gen Allen G. Peck’s article “Airpower’s Crucial Role in Irregular Warfare” (Summer 2007). I admired the author’s broad experience in operational airpower and enjoyed the wisdom reflected between the lines of his article. He accurately defined irregular warfare (IW) as including “counterinsurgency operations and foreign internal defense (FID)” (p. 10) and pointed out its effect on Air Force development as well as its roles in future wars. Many students who are now junior officers taking language courses here at the Defense Language Institute will participate in FID operations in Iraq or Afghanistan. Such IW experience will broaden their field of vision, sharpen their war-fighting skills, and enable them to know themselves and their opponents better. These junior officers “may well be responsible for the strategic aspects of tomorrow’s war” (p. 11). The general’s article therefore serves as good reading material for our language students—the warriors of current and future IWs.

Zhao Luyuan
Defense Language Institute
Monterey, California

Editor’s Note: Major General Peck was recently promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. The Chinese version of his article is available at http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/apjinternational/apj-c/2008/spr08/ Peck.htm.

LEAN UNIFORMS: CUTTING THE
“WASTE” LINE

I enjoyed the article “Lean Uniforms: Cutting the ‘Waste’ Line” by Lt Gen Terry Gabreski, Maj Gen Loren Reno, and Brig Gen Robert Allardice (Spring 2007). It introduced new concepts of uniform design to us in Iraq. If the article’s concepts were studied and tested, it might be feasible for the new Iraqi military to adopt them.

Staff Maj Gen Qaa’id K. M. Al-Khuzaa’i, Iraqi Air Force
Baghdad, Iraq

Editor’s Note: General Al-Khuzaa’i read the Arabic version of that article at http://www.airpower.maxwell.af. mil/apjinternational/apj-a/2007/win07/gabreski.pdf.

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Disclaimer

The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University

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