One response to “Strategy vs Tactics”

• Major Ben Gardner says:
  

  Although I do not publicly endorse either candidate, I would like to respectfully disagree with your claim that Senator McCain was incorrect in his portrayal of strategy versus tactics. He was merely pointing out the fundamental misuse of the term by Senator Obama.

  Senator Obama stated that the troop surge “was a tactic designed to contain the damaged of the previous four years of mismanagement of (the) war.” The decision to send more troops to Iraq was a strategic level decision, not a tactic. This is why Senator McCain responded with, “I’m afraid Senator Obama doesn’t know the difference between a tactic and a strategy.”

  From a military perspective, there are three levels of war: strategic, operational, and tactical. Essentially, strategic is the level of war at which a nation determines national objectives and uses national resources (our troops) to achieve these objectives. It is the macro level, “big picture” idea for employing the military instrument of national power.

  Conversely, tactics is the physical employment of forces in battles and engagements. It is the lowest level at which forces are managed and led.

  I’m sure Senator Obama probably does know the difference between a tactic and a strategy, but he simply misspoke. At the same time, I would be almost positive to say that Senator McCain knows the difference very well given his military education and both his military and congressional experiences.

  Major Ben Gardner, US Army
  Student, Command and General Staff College
  Fort Gordon, Georgia

  September 29th, 2008 at 9:37 pm

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