improve international maritime cooperation and in so The second similarity is not quite so obvious. Nine-
doing break the back of organized criminals that target teenth-century debates could be summarized as one
oceangoing victims. between those who wanted gunboats for coastal defense
— Capt. Christopher R. Davis, USN and those supporting frigates to protect commerce and
project power forward. Those decision makers also dis-
Gunboats versus Frigates: What Can We played a repeated pattern of laying up ships as soon as
Learn From 1798? a particular crisis passed. Today’s debates concerning
re we losing sight of the Navy? The ongo- force structure follow a similar pattern. Unanticipated
A
ing campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan are challenges to the sea-lanes either from pirates or hostile
essentially ground operations. Headlines in regimes call for a vibrant force with fl exibility. Scenarios
the Navy Times have announced forced re- such as President Reagan’s refl agging and escorting of
tirements, interservice transfers, and calls for Individual international tankers or the Gulf of Sidra operations are
Augmentees to serve on the ground in the aforemen- just as likely, if not more so, to occur in the future than
tioned confl icts. The Navy has been reducing personnel they were during the Cold War. While the FY 2010 DoD
by 8,000–10,000 a year since 2003 with a goal of 329,000 budget claims to halt reductions to the Navy and increase
personnel by the end of FY 2009. The DoD FY 2009 bud- certain shipbuilding programs, fi scal and economic con-
get press release barely mentioned the Navy. Even recent straints will continue to put downward pressure on the
changes in uniforms could leave the impression that the service. Let us learn from the past and not echo John
Navy wants to look more like a ground force. The point is Adams: “I lament … the total neglect and absolute refusal
not to debate uniform policy but to look at the frighten- of all maritime protection and defense … if only a few
ing prospect that our proud naval heritage is disappear- Frigates had been ordered to be built.”
ing from public view. — Cmdr. Steven S. Funck, USN-Ret.
With the number of U.S. fl ag merchant ships making
up less than 1 percent of the world’s total, critics may Flex-Cuffing Ourselves: The Criminal Jus-
seriously question the need for a deep-water navy. Early tice Paradigm for Detention Operations
Congresses debated this same issue and with concerns n 2006 I served as a convoy commander with
very similar to today. Two are worthy of note.
Current issues in the Indian Ocean are reminiscent
of earlier struggles with the Barbary (and other) pirates. I
3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines during a seven-month
deployment to Haditha, Iraq. I was responsible
for transporting scores of detainees from our area
Immediately following the American Revolution the na- of operations (AO) to the regimental detention facil-
tion paid tribute while debating whether to build a Navy ity at Al Asad. We felt every second of each two-hour
and of what type. While past and present decision mak- drive down the western bank of the Euphrates River.
ers debate force structure, the primary question ought to Every moment we stared ahead intently at the road,
be one of national will. The international community’s fully aware of what might happen, and hoped our mis-
willingness to comply with ransom demands both now sion was worth it. These detainees often showed up
and two centuries ago is troublesome. The modern world again on our streets in the following weeks, and many
may be more complicated, and concerns about interna- Marines felt exasperated and betrayed. What was the
tional law cannot be ignored, but there is something to be point, they’d ask? Why risk our lives going on raids and
said for the sailing orders to Captain Truxton during the transporting detainees across our AO only to see them
quasi-war with France: “Nothing is said in your instruc- released in a matter of days or weeks? We called it the
tions respecting pirates, You know how to treat them.” “catch-and-release program,” and it crushed morale.
In the case of the Maersk Alabama, the U.S. did act This is the unheard voice in the current discussion
and use its naval forces in a very traditional way. That about the future of the United States’ military detainment
ship was protected by a boarding party from USS Bain- policy, the voice of the grunt. When considered, it can
bridge, not SEALs as erroneously reported by network bring a valuable measure of reality to esoteric philosophi-
news. The successful rescue involved a full range of cal debates and political rhetoric. While lawyers, activists,
naval capability including patrol aircraft and unmanned and politicians argue about balancing American values,
drones, not just special operations forces. This is not to international opinion, and strategic objectives, those who
downplay the magnifi cent skill of the special operations execute these policies watch with trepidation. Our ex-
personnel involved but to emphasize that the Navy role perience demonstrates that shifting to a criminal justice
was much more than providing a platform for the spe- framework for military detentions during combat opera-
cial ops personnel to use. tions will signifi cantly increase the [CONTINUES ON PAGE 85]
NOVEMBER 2009 MILITARY OFFICER 69
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