The Wire (TV series)

The Wire (TV series): What were the biggest tactical mistakes that Stringer made in Seasons 2 and 3? Why did he make these mistakes?

 

10 Answers

Jan Mixon, If I haven't seen it, I have heard of...
97 votes by Marc Bodnick, Anon User, Anon User, (more)
From observations:

  1. Failing to kill Brother Mouzone once Omar decided not to finish him. His hospital visit made it clear to Mouzone who had sought his demise and eventually led to Bell's.
  2. Failing to locate and eliminate Omar. Since Omar (and any of his associates) were the only links to Brother Mouzone's assassination attempt, their failure should have been punished with their deaths. Failing to do this caused Bell problems later on leading to his death.
  3. Not using Avon Barksdale's imprisonment as the opportunity to seize control of the organization for himself. By isolating Barksdale in prison, Bell could have run the organization as he saw fit and actually turned the prospects of the organization around into a less violent, but more profitable enterprise.
  4. Only killing D'Angelo Barksdale and not also Avon and Avon's sister. A clean sweep of the Barksdale family would have allowed Bell to run the organization as he thought he needed to and removed an unnecessary level of burden to an already complicated situation.
  5. Not using a knowledgeable intermediary to deal with Senator Clay Davis. He was clearly out of his league with Davis and had he used an attorney with the correct political connections, he could have likely gained all that he sought with fewer complications than he did.
  6. Admitting that he had killed D'Angelo Barksdale. This very likely angered Avon Barksdale and led him to to betray Stringer more than the potential for his organization to be cutoff from a quality supply of product.
  7. Stringer Bell had no mentor nor close adviser apart from Avon Barksdale. Had he had a "Butch" like Omar, a number of the obvious traps he was entering  he would have easily avoided as they would have been pointed out to him.
  8. Stringer Bell had few if, any men, that were strictly loyal to him. This lack of loyalty was exhibited in the fact that men loyal to him would have avenged his death regardless of input from Avon. He also seemed to have a very poor resource of internal and external spies to gather information for him.
  9. Stringer Bell failed to properly use the police more effectively than he did. He was in possession of enough information to bring down his competitors, yet only used it against Avon and not the others. Any crime boss knows that cops are usually his second best tool against his enemies.
  10. Bell failed to recognize that leaving the business (and thus Baltimore) was open to him. As the character was portrayed in the series, he clearly had no close family or friends in the city and could have easily departed a wealthy man to enjoy the fruits of his labors elsewhere. He chose to stay in a business that he eventually knew would either led to his imprisonment or his death.

Stringer Bell recognized the weaknesses of the Barksdale organization
and didn't attempt to capitalize upon them or to even seriously attempt
to repair them. He made essentially cosmetic changes, bungled those and
sought an "out" by becoming a legitimate businessman, which he bungled
as well.

Had he eliminated the Barksdale family, retained most of
 their upper leadership, purchased and sought personal loyalty while
preventing his subordinates from plotting against him, he would have
been alive much longer than he was.
2+ CommentsPost (1)Jul 20, 2011
Jan Mixon
Marc Bodnick, Quora member #137
27 votes by Anon User, Ryan Lackey, Phil Gribbon, (more)
I think David Lawee and Anon User are missing the big picture about... (more)
1+ CommentsPostMar 25, 2010
Marc Bodnick
Daniel Ahn, I spy with my eye...
23 votes by Marc Bodnick, David Kaye, Cameron Ellis, (more)
Stringer's mistake was a strategic mistake, not a tactical one. He ... (more)
1 CommentPostApr 19, 2010
Daniel Ahn
His biggest mistakes were:
  • Not muscling up after Season 1. Wee Bey ...
(more)
1 CommentPostAug 29, 2011
Brian Papa
Bomani Jones, Media personality | http://bomanijone...
Here's the biggest thing that gets me: When people say Avon only kn... (more)
1 CommentPostSep 6, 2011
Bomani Jones
David Lawee is right that the main turning point was having D'Ange... (more)
CommentPostMar 25, 2010
Anon User
Chris Weigl, Screenwriter and Political Consultant...
2 votes by Marc Bodnick and Anon User
The towers were so important to Avon's organization, I just didn't ... (more)
1 CommentPostAug 20, 2011
Chris Weigl
I think it's clear that Stringer's ambition killed him. He wanted m... (more)
CommentPostSep 7, 2011
Ryan Smith
Easy - in the words of Avon ' Not hard enough for this right here a... (more)
CommentPostJul 9, 2010
Anon User
David Lawee
2 votes by Anon User and Marc Bodnick
I think having D'Angelo (D) killed was the turning point.
CommentPostMar 25, 2010
David Lawee
 
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