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'Disbandment' or 'Reduction'

by Lt Col Susantha Seneviratne, RWP, RSP, Psc.Msc [def]-retd

Pic by Thilak Perera

It is not big Armies that win battles, it is the good ones -Marshal Maurice Saxe, Mess Reveries. [1757]

Manpower is the principle 'unit of measure' that determines the strength of a force while the nomenclature of weapons, equipments, vehicles, crafts, vessels, etc will help assess the capability.

Since the physical availability of these human and material resources would enable the assessment of the strength of a force, they are grouped, according to certain levels of numerical strengths and the type of material, which is called the 'force /troop level' and, thus it forms the structure and the organization from top to bottom in the form of a pyramid.

As much as these resources, there are certain other areas, which are equally important but cannot be gauged by physical means. They are the 'intangibles'; the 'vitality' of a force - training, discipline and morale; the standard /quality of which indicates the combat potentiality/preparedness. Therefore, a force, which is strong / high, in human and material resources can be defeated or 'outmaneuvered' by a small force whose training, discipline, and morale are of a very high standard.

Military matters

According to military teaching on tactics at higher levels, strength of the force is decided as per the ground/ terrain or in other words the characteristics and configuration of land. A large country like India, whose military is the 2nd largest in the world follow 1: 3 ratio [03x soldiers per 01xenemy] when calculating their force level [ in tactics, this is termed as 'troop to task'] vis-a-vis the enemy force.

Although their system of calculation has been taken for debate, in order to evaluate its 'validity' at the courses, where the forum comprised international participation; they were not ready to change or even were not willing to accept the fact that their system was illogical; what they say is that they can afford to make any force level available for any contingency anywhere at any given time.

One of the major shortcomings in this system of 1:3 ratio, is that the impracticability and unrealism as the standard of the 'intangibles'- training, discipline and morale, which differs from one type of troops to another, such as infantry, special forces, commando, etc, can only be judged in actual combat situation.

However, in military tactics, decisions on various matters are taken according to a 'standard teaching method' and, in the case where 'life and death' is decided, the basics, fundamentals, principles, concepts, doctrines, procedures, standard operating patterns[SOP], standing orders[SO] laid down in the military need to be strictly adhered to; violating /ignoring of which would, no doubt bring disastrous consequences; despite all the superiorities and capabilities that possessed/gained from advance technology in high sophisticated military hardware ; this is where the politicians, and others, especially those retired military personnel, who express views/ comments, in accordance with their individual political inclination, must be cautious when determining /deciding on matters relating to military.

Some of those, who comment on the military seem to be totally unaware of what the military is; they must know that the military is a 'professional' occupation; it is not an 'ordinary' job, which everybody can perform; it is a 'specialized' field as that of the field of medicine, engineering, law and, so forth.

And, above all it is an honorary and prestige service, which cannot be matched with any other profession. But, at the same time, it is understood that the military in Sri Lanka, has not come up to the standard of such specialization in its field, and thus 'status' has come down to pretty ordinary level making everyone feel that anybody can do it.

As far as the professions, such as medicine, engineering, etc are concerned, no one other than those, who are engaged in such fields venture to make remarks; because everybody knows that those professionals and their fields are so specialized, comprehension of which is beyond the horizon of an ordinary layman; and so should be, in the case of military.

Since the military is not professionally 'structured' and 'organized' as an effective outfit, those members, who are serving, too have become unprofessional as a result. When both these elements become ineffective, the standard will automatically go down. This is why the people of many strata of society, including the clergy, today are seen, making remarks about the military as if they know everything about this field.

Disbandment

The plight of the military is so deplorable; those decision makers, both who are serving and retired, are responsible for this; the 'prolonged' conflict is a good testimony to prove the fact that the military is not professional and specialized vis-a-vis the LTTE military.

Under these circumstances, the military must, however be prepared to face the accusations levelled against the organization of failing to perform its role. So, it is up to the politicians, particularly those who are in governance to point out such failures, so that the military can rectify them accordingly.

This is applicable to citizens as well because, the maintenance of the military is at the expense of public funds. So, if the JVP leader, who, in his natural aggressive gesture has made his 'insistence' in a recent political speech, which he made during the presidential campaign to the effect that the military must be 'disbanded' under these circumstances, one should not be unduly perturbed over such a remark.

Though certain retired senior military officers ostensibly appeared to be safeguarding the good image of the military commented that it would demoralize troops and it is regarded as an offence/violation, which is liable to be prosecuted under public security act, they by making such comments virtually aimed at gaining political advantage over this remark.

One must, also understand whether it is possible to implement what he voiced; can any government disband its military ; or even to go for a drastic reduction of the same; what would be the repercussions following lost of jobs; But, however the way it was misinterpreted gave a wrong impression to the public including the military; and certain media, of course capitalized on the word 'disbandment' not exposing the context and let the public realize what actually the said politician meant was.

In all these instances, the public will have to go by the stand taken by the media. But, unfortunately the media, which is the, only source available for the public to depend on, for such a purpose, also play a biased role when it comes to politics. At the same time, most of the comments and counter comments made by the experts of both rival parties stand nowhere near 'professionalism'.

Such unprofessional comments are likely to make the public more and more 'blunt', and as a result they would not be able to understand the matters in their 'true perspective'. This is why the politicians and those who appear on behalf can easily mislead the public by representation of facts and figures that are not actual.

Reduction

'Tit for tat' is a common feature in politics, today. As per the manifesto of the UNP, the military, initially is to be formed into a 'unified force', comprising 6 x brigades until the receipt of the report on defence policies and aims and the requirements for a modernized military force.

But, nowhere is it mentioned that the military was to be 'reduced' to 6x brigades. Some made out that the reduction of military to 6x brigades will cause the 'rest' to loose their jobs and that this was a plan to equalize the force level with the LTTE, which, in turn would be conducive towards forming of a separate state. The media, in favour of the respective parties played a major role, calling for comments by the retired senior military officers similar to what those rivals did, by exploiting the word 'disbandment'.

However, there is a significant difference between these two contradictory and controversial wordings -one has been spelt out on the political platform and it is a verbal statement if one goes by the meaning of the word while the other is, in 'black and white' and can be reckoned as a well calculated decision.

So, what is more likely to be implemented is the latter and if so, why does the UNP want to have a 'unified force' until the receipt of a report on defence. Why cannot they go for, the so-called modernization, at once than waiting to receive such a report.

Have they, ever calculated the time taken, to form such an organic force, which involves physical movement of troops, equipment etc inter and intra theater of operations. If the military, once again were to be formed into another formation as per the report, it would be double work, wasting time and resources.

Because, for the preparation of such a report, it would take less time than forming 06x brigades, which constitute 02x divisions.[It is a fact that there are almost 03x divisions but none is up to the strength.] But, in the military the force level is indicated by its highest level of command; in this case why the formation of 06 x brigades, which is equivalent to 02x 'division' indicated at 'brigade level'; why the formation of an 'unified force' preceding the said report, which is learnt to be the 'foundation', on which the entire modernization is to be built up.

Is it because the country cannot hold such a large military, in terms of the conditions laid down by the World Bank and other international donor agencies; if the funds are to flow into the country and as they do not expect the government to use such funds for the military build-up as done in the past.

Does the proposed modernizing of the military to face future threats, such as international terrorism, by which Sri Lanka is presently not affected as countries like USA, UK, Pakistan, and so on, expect possible threats posed by the LTTE and why such a threat is not visualized; Is it a 'deceptive' plan to outwit the LTTE in the long run though it cannot be exposed at present.

However, what must be remembered is that the required force level and the modernization both need to be based on a 'strategic and tactical appreciation' as per the military doctrine and should not be mixed up as that of politics, which mainly focuses on 'food' and 'free giving' rather than involving in the 'science 'of governance.

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