The WAR on....
or
Expensive, ineffective, smoke screens?
Going to WAR on an idea, or behavior seems to me to be contra productive. In the real world, you go to WAR with an advisary, otherwise, how can you tell when you have won? Other than WWII, most of the wars seem to be a method of scaring the populace into approving an agenda that would normally not even rate consideration.
In the cold war, we were very much aware of who the enemy was. The cold war ended with the economic collapse of the Soviet Union. If this had not occurred, we would still be ratcheting up our military. Which was a very profitable activity.
In the Korean “Police Action” we knew the enemy, but, did not win or loose the expensive non-war. So, we just keep sending troops over to glare at the enemy over the DMZ. Not really all that profitable, but politically correct.
As of this writing, there is no end in site on this front....
In Vietnam, we had a “War on Communism”, when the French abandoned their former colony, Dwight Eisenhower immediately began to try and influence the politics of the area. Starting in the 50's, there was a continual ratcheting up our military involvement. Which was a very profitable activity, until in the early 70's when the loss of life on our side became unacceptable to the people. So Richard Nixon declared “we won” and abandoned our Vietnamese allies.
In the early 70's Richard Nixon declared a "war on drugs" that continues to this day unabaited at great expence both in dollars and in human life. The United States of America has had a long history of attempts to control the use of hallucinogenic substances dating from the mid 1800's. One highly notable failure is the era of "prohibition" in the 20's, repealed in the early 30's. The most important result of this was the growth of organized crime.
Since Vietnam, we have been involved in various minor campains, such as the attempt to free the Iranian held hostages, the invasion of panama, and the invasion of Granada.
In the early 90's, Iraq under Sadam Hussein, invaded Kuwait. This led to the first Gulf war. As in Korea, the issue was not completely settled. We had a air presence to enforce "no fly zones" until the second gulf war.
All through the 90's, a nebulous oponent known as "Al Quaida" was conducting what is known as "asemetrical warfare", these activities reached their current pinnacle of success on 9/11/01. This led to an invasion of Afghanistan, and the subsequent displacement of the Taliban as the local government. Unfortunately for us, "Al Quaida" and the Taliban were not eradicated. So, we now have what appears to be a permenant garrison in Kabul. This is remincent of Korea.
In 2001, following the 9/11/01 attack, George Bush declared a "war on terror" which appears to be crusing on unabaited. We have reorganized our forces an placed great emphasis on the "Department of Homeland Secuity." If it were not for the highly serious nature of the subject, our efforts at "Homeland Secuity" would be comical. It now appears that this "War On..." will become an institutionalized part of our government from here to the unspecified future. This is highly remincent of the "War On Drugs."
While the activities in Afghanistan were taking place, for what are unclear reasons, our government elected to invade Iraq. This is now known as the second gulf war. A great deal of emphasis was placed on "weapons of mass destruction" which subsequently were found not to exist. After a brief campain, that demonstrated that the Iraqi military was hopelessly out classed, our leadership declared "mission accomplished."
Now, in the middle of the second gulf war, we find our armed forces streched to the limit. We are now fighting a different sort of war that in many ways reminds me of the Vietnam war.
At this point in time, Korea is still divided, the Soviet Union has failed, and the Vietnamese have united and become communist. The dreaded "domino effect" did not occur, and we now trade with "Red China." Cuba remains communist, but our relations with them are slowly thawing. The "war on drugs" keeps plodding on, sleepy Panama and Granada remain much as they were before we invaded. Sadam was executed following a trial in an Iraqi court, while the second gulf war (actually the Iraq civil war) drags on. A very profitable enterprise indeed. (The current Iraqi government reminds me of the Vichy French.)
Other that the occasional nebulous threat level manipulation, it appears that the "war on terror" is largely being put on hold while our leadership tends to the presidential election. In a time when the Bush presidency has an all time low approval rating.
The main consequence of all of this military, political, and police action seems to be that we are less respected abroad, and the general populace has less freedom. The military is being short changed, while the industrialists that supply the military are extremely profitable. While a "fiscal conservative" runs up the highest deficits in the history of the country.
Thousands of our fellow citizens have been injured, maimed, or died, and the majority of the people are poorer. And, our childrens, childrens, children will be paying for the Bush years for all of their lives.
While war is sometimes unavoidable, it would seem that we could make better use of our resources.
Feb 19, 2008