Tactical Disposition and Energy

The chapter entitled "Tactical Disposition" deals loosely with the elements of modern offensive and defensive operations. Sun Tzu talks about the importance of gaining key terrain and being able to properly prepare for combat operations (offensive or defensive). He says: "The one who excels at warfare first establishes himself in a position where he cannot be defeated while not losing an opportunity to defeat the enemy."

Chapter 5, "Energy," talks about the requirements for successful soldiers on the battlefield. Sun Tzu states that one "engages with the orthodox and gains victory with the unorthodox." A soldier, especially an officer, must be able to think outside the box and use available resources to his advantage. Doing cookie-cutter STX lanes is great for developing basic tactical knowledge, but an efficient leader must also be able to respond well to variables and unexpected events. This also ties in with another point Sun Tzu makes. He says: "Intermixed and turbulent, the fighting appears chaotic, but they cannot be made disordered." This means that an effective soldier must remain calm in the chaos of combat and they will be able to make good decisions. He sums up this chapter by saying: "The one who excels at warfare seeks victory through the strategic configuration of power, not from reliance on men."

Attack by Strategem

In this chapter, Sun Tzu discusses the priorities an army should follow when at war. He ways you should first attack the enemy's plans, then their alliances, then their armies, then their cities. These priorities are still used to some extent today. Attacking an enemy's plans requires good reconnaissance and knowledge of your enemy, but if you have that, you can defeat him without ever firing a shot. Turning an enemy against his beliefs can have the same effect. This is especially important if your enemy has an advantage of any kind (numbers, terrain knowledge, etc.).

The most widely known phrase from The Art of War is in this chapter. It reads: "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." Perhaps the single biggest effort we are making in the Middle East is to connect with the locals. This allows us to get to know their culture and customs. By knowing and talking to the locals, we gain a better understanding of the enemy. By knowing our enemy, we are able to more effectively defeat him.

On War

In this chapter, Sun Tzu talks about the general rules one should follow when waging war. On of his main points deals with the length of campaigns. He states: "When employing them in battle, a victory that is long and coming will blunt their weapons and dampen their ardor." He is saying that the most practical way to win an engagement is to do it as quickly as possible. When it comes to the conflicts in the Middle East, we seem to have been ignoring this advice. It has been 8 years since the campaign in the Middle East began. At first, it had the support of the public and of the troops. However, the longer it drags on, the fewer people support it.

Sun Tzu also talks in this chapter of winning the hearts of the enemy. he says: "Treat the captured soldiers well in order to nurture them for our use." This mostly applies to our treatment of Iraqi and Afghani civilians. We have been bringing them aid and helping them to rebuild their villages and cities in an attempt to get them to swing their allegiances from the Taliban and al-Qaeda to us.