Are you staying on a losing trading strategy for too long ?

One of my good friend , Adwin , wrote this article …

The United States of America has its fair share of misfortunes in recent years: From the dramatic tragedies of September 11, to the ongoing battles its armed forces had to bear for the past four years since American troops first stepped onto Afghan soil (and subsequently, the invasion, ouster of Saddam Hussein), the US military has, for the first time since its withdrawal from the Vietnam debacle (a serious, major loss of face after two decades of fighting the Vietcong’s army of farmers and peasants), the American public has begun to feel towards the Bush Administration. This was reflected, no less, when the Republicans lost their mid-term elections for the Senate Committee, and as a result, the Republicans have faced formidable opposition with regards to its war policies.

Indeed, the mounting casualties inflicted on a daily basis on American troops, plus seemingly insurmountable difficulties that American and Allied troops have to face in Iraq, clearly indicates an error of judgment on the Bush Administration’s part. The so-called “war on terror”, which basically translates to eliminating terrorists from Afghanistan and Iraq, both “liberated” from the Taliban and Saddam Hussein respectively, seems to have descended into two major quagmires.

In lieu of these events, it is perhaps reasonable to ask: Just how does an army wage war, without descending into an all-out guerilla warfare? How does an army profit from wars, without losing more than it can recoup?

SUN TZU: MILITARY STRATEGIST, WARRING STATES PERIOD

Sun Tzu, a great Chinese General, was the famous author of “Sun Tzu’s Art of War”. Born in the 6th century BC during a period of turmoil, known as the Warring States Period, Sun Tzu was a distinguished general from the State of Wu.

Spaced out in 13 chapters, Sun Tzu, depicts, in great detail, the ingredients and conditions necessary for a swift and decision victory in battle. Although the work is more than 2000 yrs old, and having been translated numerous times both by Chinese and European scholars, Sun Tzu’s Art of War is considered a great military classic, having received plenty of attention by generals and leaders alike. From Japan’s General Yamamoto, who was responsible for the surprise attacks on Pearl Harbour, to the indomitable Revolutionary Mao Zedong (later known as Chairman Mao), it seems that the Art of War does provide an insight as to how one wages efficient, decisive battles.

Perhaps, then, a detailed analysis of this war treatise may give us a hint with regards to the Bush Administration’s failure to forge a solution to both America’s ongoing theatres of war.

Excerpts from Sun Tzu’s Art of War Chapter 2, Waging War:

1. When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men’s weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength.

Sun Tzu’s logic is simple: Never fight a war that demands an extended period of time. In this case, the American forces stationed in Iraq have often been requested to extend their tours of duty.

In addition, weaponries and vehicles would have had to take a constant battering, not only through constant usage, but also in terms of sustaining damage from enemy fire. This is a particularly pressing problem for the Humvees, a lightly armoured jeep not meant to withstand heavy fire and explosives.