The problem with "On Combat/Killing"

Lt. Col Grossman is a smart guy. I like him and his books. They are informative. He has made a lot of solid points about what we do. He is however, wrong about two things in my mind/opinion.

1. We are mentally geared to identify 70 people or so by sight at a distance (posture, gait, and mannerisms), our natural smell, and voice recognition. I have a great example of this; I grew up in MA with a very distinct dialect. The rest of my family lives in KY, with a very different dialect. I did not meet one of my uncles until I was 7 or so. I immediately recognized his voice and the voices of my cousins as the same “tribe”.

Thus we as a species are pre disposed to be suspicious of folks outside the tribe and hence will kill them for coming into our valley! Extreme yes, but this was how war started. Food, water, land, all causes for fighting. All animals go to war in one shape or form or another. Lions with gazelle for instance. You might say “That’s not a war! It’s nature! Survival!”, go ahead and tell that to the gazelle that have been stalked and hunted by lions for 10,000 years! They are born with the instinct to immediately run the crap away from lions. That’s a war.

2. He classifies society with the animal kingdom incorrectly.

    

     a. bad guys = wolves

     b. people = sheep

     c. we = sheep dogs.

He talks about the uselessness of the sheep (true), and the nobility of the sheep dog (stupid) and the menace on the fringes of society being the wolf. Incorrect. Wolves are highly disciplined, socially structured pack animals that liken to Marines more than any other K-9 animal. They protect one another from the same tribe only, will care for pups and move to eat. They are neither deviant nor ill willed. They are dedicated, driven, and very good at what they do. Coyotes are a better animal to reference as bad guys. They are typically dirty nomadic, unloyal types who are mischievious and won’t mind their business. Wolves hunt and then tend to themselves. Just don’t provoke them. Sheep dogs stay with the flock.

As a result sheep dogs are not expeditionary in nature. They stay close to the sheep and protect them from threats. Like the police. This is very noble! The police are here to help, in your town. They will protect you from criminals and evil doers, in your town. They are armed and willing to throw down their lives, in your town. Wolves on the other hand are expeditionary and will go great distances and stay there as necessary. Like Marines. We will help all those in need. We will eliminate threats before they become too big, and destroy all those who oppose us. Everywhere.

Here is my classification;

    

a.     bad guys = ________________

b.     people = sheep

c.     police = sheep dogs

d.     Marines = wolves.

Fill in the blank. Its whatever you want, but not a wolf.