A Modern Sun Tzu
Avoid War
[Image: Douglas Macgregor from the video interview.]
Publication date: 2023-01-04
During an interview Douglas Macgregor plays Sun Tzu in offering sage advice and clear headed strategic thinking. Topics range from the Boer War through both halves of the Great War up to today's conflict in Ukraine.
Mr. Bloom's plum English voice is a pleasure to my ear, though I disagree with him politically on various topics. The star of the show is, of course, Macgregor whose "American" practicality shines. One of his lovely distinctions is politician versus statesman (by which I mean either a woman or man). Politicians speak on whims. A statesman must think strategically.
Another topic is that wars are created by media. These two agree on this matter and also echo the comments by Chris Hedges. Some wars, or violence, are necessary, but the vast majority are not. Every effort should be made to not provoke war. On failure, one should actively seek a peace. Wars are horrific.
Douglas notes that the Russian Federation is not the same as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Additionally, when this conflict ends Russia will not have a "degraded" but improved military. This will be a second "improvement" following Russia's coming to the aid of Syria in the idiotic conflict begun there by the USA, UK and others arming religious zealots.
Macgregor was an operations officer in the Battle of 73 Easting during the 1991 war between the USA and Iraq. Operations officer is a strange term. He was in a tank, and directing the three tank squadrons. Despite his success as a military officer he advises against conflict.
I am perplexed that I need to use the word "despite" here. One should expect that a military officer would always advise against conflict, as Macgregor does.
Afterword
It is hard to think of a more Scottish name than Douglas Macgregor. :)
If you have time, listen to the Brian Becker interview below. He, like Macgregor, has a clear eyed view of history.
Whoever it was out there who “liked” this post, thank you. You beat the publishing platform even providing statistics on distribution. You made me smile and laugh.
Sources
An Englishman and an American have The Ukraine Talk, Godfrey Bloom interviews Colonel Douglas Macgregor (retired), Macgregor's youtube channel, 2023-01-03
Lee Camp & Brian Becker: What Next For The Anti-War Movement?, Lee Camp interviews Brian Becker, Behind the Headlines, 2023-01-04
Culture
As referred to by Macgregor, here is Vera Lynn.
There'll Always Be an England, Vera Lynn, Parlophone, uploaded 2014-11-08
As a balancing act, here is a lovely compilation of songs by Pink Floyd.
Pink Floyd - Nobody Home + Vera + Bring the Boys Back Home + Comfortably Numb, a compilation by Jukian, uploaded 2012-02-05
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