There are universal constants. PV=nRT. "R" will always be "R."
There are also things that may, for brief periods of time be overshadowed by the bright, shiny transient ... but when that brief flash fades, the constant returns - its importance reinforced by time.
Towards an outstanding speech that everyone should read twice. Royal Marine Commandant's Gallipoli Memorial Lecture, 12 May, 2011, by Major General Buster Howes, OBE.
He is, of course, speaking of the UK - but it applies to the USA as well.
Nothing more to say. Ponder.
‘We are a maritime nation … we rely upon the seas for commerce…to support our friends and allies….for on-scene response to crises where we have no access rights or permissive facilities, and for representing our national interests around the world….What he said.
The point is… the forces of choice to handle future crises will likely continue to be aircraft carriers and amphibious forces with embarked Marines. One might also speculate, as we enter an era characterised by increasing terrorist activity, violence in drug exportation and the use of coercive tactics such as hostage taking, that amphibious forces with their evolving special capabilities will increasingly emerge as the more logical force of choice.
There is no indication whatsoever that the zeal of xenophobic radicals, messianic clerics, nihilistic students and other insurgents bent on reversing the trend of emerging, albeit weak, impoverished, democratic governments will decrease. These men of the streets and villages are better dealt with by riflemen than by supersonic aircraft – and they will be dealt with in areas where we will not likely have, nor want to establish, bases ashore.’
That could have been written yesterday. It was actually published by General Al Gray, Commandant US Marine Corps, 22 years ago, in 1989.
