I don't know how John Adams would feel about the so called War on Terror, but I know how I feel.
I feel that it's not exactly a humble foreign policy and also have several strategic and moral issues with it.
1) What does the War on Terror mean?
Is it a war on the tactic of terror? If so- how could a country- even a country with the most powerful army in the world win that war?
If this truly is a war on the tactic of terror and we're fighting anyone that targets civilians, does that mean we need to weigh in on the Sri Lanka conflict? Do we have to fight the Tamil Tigers? What about the Mexican drug lords- they're targeting innocent people- are they terrorists that also must be defeated by America?
2) What are the conditions for victory?
If this is a war on tactics/terrorists- how could we possibly win? Can we win and then one guy blows himself up and then our victory is erased?
Are we to remain at a constant level of readiness forever?
3) How do we win this war?
Do we kill every man, women and child in countries/wildernesses hostile to us?
Do we give up our freedoms to preserve our freedom? (I belive someone said that one who gives up his liberty for security sacrifices both)
Do we air drop Feminist scholars into Wazaristan, force feed them big macs and make them watch MTV?
4) What are we trying to do?
Rebuild nations in our own image? Have clients states with puppet governments we install? Keep ourselves safe? Fight a Crusade? Moderate people's religion?
5) What are reasonable costs for victory?
How much money? Do we retrain our whole Army to be swat team members for the world and its safety? How much blood?
If anyone has answers to even one of these questions, I'd love to know and I'm sure John Adams would too.
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So true. Our 43rd President had is legacy defined by the vagueness of the "War on Terror" mantra. Even if they initially believe in something, people need something tangible to quantify success or failure. With no ultimate leader of the dis-establishment available to surrender for all "terrorists" globally, how does it end? Unfortunately, faith in government isn't something our country has experienced in decades and the lack of a defined event to indicate closure ultimately doomed the "war" from the first time the words were uttered. I would like to know how someone like Adams would have handled a threat so large to the country; not only in strategy, but in positioning to the American people.
ReplyDeleteYes- when kept in a constant state of emergency people will either grow numb to the idea that there's a real threat or rush headlong into military engagements to protect their 'safety'. It's amazing that so passionate man like Adams restrained the passions of his own people. "Those who would sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither." Ben Franklin
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