What Democrats can learn from Hannibal

One of my favorite military leaders in history was Hannibal of Carthage.

His use of the double envelopment tactic at the Battle of Cannae contributed to our operational envelopment maneuver employed in Operation Desert Storm. And Hannibal’s use of elephants as part of his operations was revolutionary and innovative.

{mosads}However, there comes a time when your tactics must adapt—even change—and so it was with Hannibal. At the Battle of Cannae, Hannibal defeated, and killed, Roman Consul General Scipio the older, but his son survived. It was Scipio the younger who learned, adapted, and defeated Hannibal later in North Africa at the Battle of Zama.

The battlefield innovator Hannibal, who was the first commander of a multinational, multifaceted military force did not change his tactics. He still employed elephants in the same manner, and was defeated.

What is the relevance for today? The progressive left has taken over the Democratic Party—President John F. Kennedy would not be welcomed. The left’s playbook, tactics, are based upon Saul Alinksy’s book “Rules for Radicals.” These tactics were very integral in the rise of Barack Obama, but they did not translate to success for Hillary Clinton.

So, in post November 2016 election, will a doubling down on these tactics yield success, or further defeat for the Democrat party?

It is said in the south, “if you go to the same well too often, eventually there may be no water.” Normally that applies well with SEC football when you tend to run the same play too often, the defense adjusts and stops you.

This is where Democrats run the risk of irrelevance.

These constant protests, to include a series of planned identity politics strikes, may feel like a winning tactic. But to whom? When Democrats decry others as “fascists” while progressives violently protest and shut down free speech of others, the left’s position becomes irrelevant.

When New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, for example, compared an election to Pearl Harbor and 9/11, progressives are losing the messaging battle. It may sound great in the echo chamber of like-minded folks isolated to the coasts, college campuses, and entertainment elitist circles, but not to the greater American people.

A loyal political opposition party is something admired in America, but the opposition need be based upon sound policy. Progressive Democrats must begin to realize that their playbook is outdated. They have to comprehend that their tactics are no longer effective.

No one complained about the last minute change of the Obama administration of the Cuban immigration policy that sentenced freedom loving people to a brutal communist regime. There was hardly a sound made when President Barack Obama was awarded the Politifact “Lie of the Year” in 2013 for his “If you like your health care plan…” line. When healthcare insurance premiums rose astronomically, Americans were simply disregarded, and we remember the words of one Jonathan Gruber who implied that most Americans were too dumb to understand.

Yet, we have a new administration that has not even been in office one month, and political figures such as Rep. Maxine Waters are talking about impeachment.

If Democrats read about Hannibal of Carthage, they might learn that regardless of how brilliant you may have been, if you do not adjust your tactics, you will eventually be defeated.

Allen West, a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and former Member of the 112th U.S. Congress, is the Executive Director of the National Center for Policy Analysis. Follow him on Twitter @AllenWest.

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