Sun Tzu’s Timeless Wisdom | Analysis | Security Lense | 01-Sep-2024
Sun Tzu a Chinese military strategist and commander known for his seminal work The Art of War. It was written 2500 years ago on military strategy, tactics and geography, influencing not only military leaders but also politicians, business executives and scholars worldwide. Sun Tzu’s philosophy emphasizes upon strategic planning, importance of adaptability, psychological warfare and advocating for the use of intelligence and cunning against brute force. His teaching underscores the value of flexibility in the face of changing circumstances and knowing both oneself and enemy. In examining Gulf War through the lens of Sun Tzu’s principles, we can get deeper insights into strategic and tactical maneuvers that shaped this major conflict.
It was easy to argue that US won Iraq war due to high technological and military superiority, but it gradually failed in Vietnam. This only happened due to Vietcong’s adaptability of Sun Tzu’s principles against US with such systematic and devastating effect. After the Vietnam expedition, study of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War was mandatory at US military.
The impact of such a step can be observed in the Gulf war as a whole. Sun Tzu argues that success in war only comes through the use of military force as a last resort. Before that all the available means should be utilized in order to subdue the adversary without fighting. Essentially, there are three phases for war to be successful according to Sun Tzu:
- Break enemy’s strategy
- Break enemy’s alliances
- Fight
In the Gulf war, the first phase was followed up by the containment of Iraqi forces in Kuwait through mobilization of reaction force sent over to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The second phase included the diplomatic measures taken via United Nation Security Council (UNSC) and though negotiations with Iraq’s neighbors. And the final phase, General Schwarzkopf “Hail Mary” plan was classic example of Sun Tzu’s teaching.
Go into emptiness, strike voids, bypass what he defends, hit him where he does not expect you.
After the second phase Iraq was isolated in terms of political, economic and military assistance. The allies got time to prepare for the third phase of war. Preparation included intelligence gathering, shaping public opinion, insertion of special forces inside enemy territory, planning deception and building land and air force, advocated by Sun Tzu.
The Gulf campaign as whole follows Sun Tzu model, but most of the people argues that where the dimension of airpower fits into this model? As The Art of War is written in Confucian tradition which is quiet ambiguous to the western eyes, which leaves it as an open book for interpretation. Today, Chinese People’s Liberation Army fully embrace the inclusion of air power in The Art of War. Gulf war shows airpower satisfy Sun Tzu prerequisites for a successful military operation or campaign, throughout three phases of war. Airpower fulfilled commander’s need of intelligence, deception, psychological operations, stealth and surprise, ability to attack strategic and tactical centers of gravity while avoiding civilian and cities.
The flexibility of airpower in the Gulf war also expands towards further discussion of force multiplier. Sun Tzu stresses upon importance of force multiplying in the time of war, underplaying the need for sheer forces to overcome enemy. Aircrafts in the Gulf contributed to this concept through intelligence gathering.
Furthermore, Psychological operations (psyops) are also the growing area of warfare advocated by Sun Tzu’s strategies to tear down an enemy before the final phase of war. It is considered as one of the cheapest ways of implying multiplying force effect on the adversary. The policy of bombing the Iraqi Republican Guards (IRG) with mass leaflet dropping campaign is a good example of utilizing the airpower and psyops for a greater combined effect over the Iraqi force. That over 87000 Iraqi prisoners were taken during the Gulf war entered captivity by clutching allied leaflets.
The Gulf War exemplifies the enduring relevance of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War in modern military strategy. Despite technological advancements, the principles of intelligence, deception, psychological operations, and strategic flexibility remain crucial. The US force’s application of these principles, particularly through air power, underscores the timeless wisdom of Sun Tzu. As military landscapes evolve, embracing these ancient strategies can provide a decisive edge, ensuring preparedness and adaptability in future conflicts. Modern forces of every country, must continue to integrate these teachings to maintain strategic superiority.
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