[VRM]

Both this and the previous administration have done a poor job of project management.
The first part - define your goals - was never done beyond 'Go git 'em', and the current administration has not really improved on that.

The military guys will always do the best job they can, but there are certain jobs that they are just not equipped to do. And it seems that both administrations are constantly setting the military up for failure by not adequately defining the goals. So far it seems as though Bush's failure was in not understanding the local situation and figuring that the military could handle all of it. Obamas failure (so far) seems to be more that he understands that the complexities exist, but does not know what to do about it, and that he also does not understand how to use the military.

The administration should be defining the goals - some of those goals will require the use of the military, and the administration should listen when the military defines the men and material needed to achieve those goals.

The goals should be public, the plans to achieve them should not.

And this sheepdog thing is very cute, but terribly simplistic. Sheepdogs are fine against wolves, but not all enemies are wolves.

Steve