From Abbey Gate to Gaza

failure will continue until accountability improves

This old operational planner has one bit of advice to Congress in their role of having oversight of the Executive Branch; subpoena the Decision Brief for the Gaza pier operation.

This was on the lowest of low scale of military operations, Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Response. There is little to nothing classified about any of this rump of a capability. Call in member of the Joint Staff who were involved in this planning - and I would prefer if you could find a few terminal O5/6 to testify as well. You might actually enjoy some candor.

The Commander’s Intent, the Higher Direction and Guidance, the Planning Assumptions, the Constraints and Restraints, the Critical Vulnerability analysis, etc. It is all there. If not, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense should tell the American people to their face.

This is a larger issue than anything happening in that impossible corner of the globe. Over the weekend, we saw yet more indications of an empire in decline deteriorating from bad to pathetic.

From the time the first load came off the pier, the aid barely made it past 300 meters until it disappeared into Hamasistan.

I’ll go ahead and tap the sign;

I’ve lost track of which took place first as the shame of it all just blended together over the Memorial Day Weekend, even The Other Sal couldn’t help me.

Generally this latest act in this other-end-of-the-Med-from-the-Greeks tragedy that has unfolded in front of everyone. As we saw at the top at Ashkelon Beach, first some ancillary bits floated over to Israel as the Eastern Mediterranean reminded everyone it is at the eastern end of a big sea with weather and waves and stuff.

We then found out that three soldiers were injured in a forklift accident. Just to add insult to injury, as the locals laughed, it appears more of the business end decided to try to make it to Haifa on its own.

I have no idea where the C-RAM is, but one thing I am quite sure about … there are boots all over the ground.

Monday night, as I write this, The Other Sal over on X provided a must-read summary. If you haven’t yet, give it a view and come back.

As is always entertaining to do, allow me if I may to quote myself from March;

Generally speaking, no operation starts out on the right foot with a lie.

“We’re not planning for this to be an operation that would require U.S. boots on the ground,” said a senior administration official.

I’m not mad at the official. They are just making sure their statement is in line with higher direction and guidance. President Biden was clear in his SOTU speech;

The United States has been leading international efforts to get more humanitarian assistance into Gaza. Tonight, I’m directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine, and temporary shelters.

No U.S. boots will be on the ground.

You cannot build a pier, even JLOTS, without putting boots on the ground. Just look at the above picture again.

I’m not sure how you scatter Army property all over the Eastern Med without a boot getting dry, but maybe I’m wrong. Gaza is lava, and all.

Empires don’t often die in a blaze of glory, no. More often than not they end in simpering apologies and excuses from poor leaders putting the wrong people in positions they have no place being, and when they fail - there is no accountability.

For a third time, I want to bring in Sal Mercogliano as his point in the thread I mentioned earlier echoes my opening to this post;

We are supposed to be a serious nation with serious obligations. We have serious competitor-nations who wish our nation and those we support harm.

We - and if we like it or not it is Uncle Sam and his taxpayers - inherited stewardship of the global system that cannot prosper when it’s primary force continues to demonstrate abject incompetence - from Afghanistan to Gaza - all the while holding no one accountable. Our enemies are encouraged and our friends disheartened. It is almost as if the humiliation and failure is the actual goal.

Provide another explanation if you have one.

We have three branches of government for a reason. Each branch is supposed to check the other.

Congress - this is in your corner. It appears the Executive Branch is incapable of policing its own competence. Do work.