I believe the U.S. will eventually lead a global coalition to victory in the War On Terrorism
I would really like to agree with you, Jacob. Would you mind sharing your blueprint for victory?
Unless the world radically transforms back into a more symmetrical balance of power, and we are no longer the world's sole superpower, war means asymmetric warfare which means terrorism. You are not merely having a Utopian moment, are you? I know that you don't subscribe to the Wolfowitzian view that we should assert American power to the maximum while we have it in order to reshape the world according to OUR norms and ideals, which would mean serially attacking despotic regimes in all corners of the world on preemptive grounds that they could potentially threaten us with chemical or biological weapons. So, what kind of victory do you foresee? Is it plowshares for peace and committed stakeholders in Planet Earth suddenly waking up to recognize their shared humanity? What, short of a tangible perceived threat to the entire planet, would bring on such a change of heart and unite us?
As the gap between the rich and the poor seems to widen each year AND asymmetric warfare (terrorism) seems to be the tactical choice of the "oppressed" AND much of the struggle seems to directly or indirectly involve ethnic identity, cultural survival and religious differences, i.e., fundamental causes that the disenfranchised will be "happy" to die for if necessary, I often feel as though the "War on Terrorism" will never end. It seems to me that the bipolar balance of power had kept many of these incipient conflicts in check. The global village argument seems to assume that technology will have a benign influence by creating more opportunity for cross-cultural communication, dialog and understanding. While I recognize the common humanity "win-win" approach as both rational and highly desirable, I see little assurance that it plays out this way. I can just as easily see communication technology as having disturbing demonstration effects breeding envy, resentment, hatred and superstition.
So, Jacob, how do we win using "90% persuasion" when THEY don't trust us anyway?
Sam |
