Very true. In a time before mobility-centric warfare like we have today, Sun Tzu was looking well ahead of his time. And keep in mind that Clauswitz, Guderian, and Co. formulated their strategies with Sun Tzu's principles in mind; standing on his shoulders, if you will.
As to our late Commander in Chief, there is somewhat of a difference. There are certainly no well-ordered columns of blue guys fighting well-ordered columns of red guys. Even if they apply Sun Tzu's principles, and for instance use them to make rapid gains in territory, all that will do is give them more to deal with behind them. How do you respond to an enemy that is a soldier in the morning and goes back to being a civilian in the evening?
Not to mention that some of Sun Tzu's methods would be frowned upon these days.
The bit about how he drilled the emperor's concubines into a regiment, and executed the head concubine for thinking it was a joke?
Also, other methods of ensuring submission such as razing cities and violently suppressing revolts (executions etc.) are not really an option either, thanks to our messed-up society's idea of the 'rules of war'
Not that I'm saying that we should kill people indiscriminately; that is equally disgusting. But there is definitely a balance, and we don't got it right now. I mean, its
war for crying out loud. Personally, I'm going to kill a guy regardless of the rules if I have a good reason to think he's got a bead on me. Good grief, we can't even pitch water in a guy's face. How the Taliban must be laughing... (not to start a backroom topic but the mere fact that demonstrators offer to waterboard you so you know how terrible it is, just proves that its relatively harmless. No permanent effects, unlike amputation and mutilation)
The problem is that the people making the rules nowdays are reporters and politicians who sit around in cushy offices, take two showers a day, and feel like the world will end if supper is half an hour late. They have no concept whatever of warfare except for novels and legends that romantisize the art of killing people. Not that I have personal experience myself; but you get the idea.
Anyways, I'm not disagreeing with you on that point; or trying to start flame wars or anything. it's just that there is a difference.
Definitely, more application of Sun Tzu would not hurt though.
And as rotorgun said, with respect to other people's views. But I figured since I'm respecting everyone else's views I might as well put some of mine out there, what? :)
Bookmarks