Military strategist Carl von Clausewitz said only by "constantly seeking out the center of [the enemy's] power, by daring all to win all, will one really defeat the enemy."
Conventionally, this would mean his capital or his armed forces.
Al Qaida has neither a capital that can be captured nor a conventional army that can be crushed en masse.
The United States must and will continue to confront the terrorist organization and its leadership militarily. But, just as importantly and perhaps more so, Al Qaida the movement must be confronted. This means its ideology. Its radical worldview.
Thus, Al Qaida's center of gravity is the appeal of its ideology to Muslims.
Conversely, the Qaidists know they cannot defeat the United States militarily. Instead, they seek to engage America in a long, drawn-out war in Iraq. Their aim: To weary the American public who will force a military withdrawal.
Thus, America's center of gravity is the will of its public to wage war, to stay the course.
In Amman last week, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed dozens of Muslims.
And Muslims were outraged. By the tens of thousands they marched in Amman's streets yesterday, denouncing him, calling him a coward.
Zarqawi blundered. And he knows it. His base is retreating. His center of gravity weakened.
Throughout the week in Washington, America's center of gravity was tested with debate in the Senate and House over withdrawal from Iraq.
On Tuesday, the Senate, by a vote of 79-19, passed a resolution pressing for steps toward troop withdrawals. The resolution designated 2006 as "a period of significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty ... thereby creating the conditions for the phased redeployment of United States forces from Iraq."
The 19 senators who voted nay knew what was at stake.
On Thursday, Rep. John Murtha called for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces saying, "it is evident that continued military action in Iraq is not in the best interest of the United States of America."
Not in the best interest of the people of the United States of America.
Through Rep. Murtha, the enemy had arrived at the gates of our center of gravity, the "hub of all power and movement."
The Republicans, by forcing the vote, shut fast those gates.
Zarqawi has stumbled. Will Democrats keep offering to help him up off the floor?
