First, some ground rules. This blog is for the compulsively intelligent, excessively contemplative, and pathologically literate. If it’s a Roman gladiator entertainment you want, try channel 739. I think tonight they are doing a pay-per-view cock fight special with lessons on how to sharpen the teeth of your pit bull.
Second, some boundaries. This blog is about terror and terrorism. It is NOT about war. War and terrorism have as much in common as a Model T Ford and a Ferrari Enzo. Both have similar parts and can get you from one place to another – but that’s where the comparisons stop. War and Terrorism are used to secure political objectives through hostility, but so are polar exploration, space flight and ice hockey; yet nobody calls those things into play when talking about geopolitical aims, though.
Such as they have been, modern wars have had relatively quantifiable beginnings, objectives, strategies, participants, boundaries and resolutions. For Germany and Japan to be such strong US allies, there obviously has been a before and after period relative to the Second World War. Since 1989, though – things have changed precipitously.
The general pretexts and dispositions of modern war began at about the time of the Crusades, and ended with the fall of the Soviet Union. Much is made of the military industrial complex and the maintenance (even to this day) of massive stockpiles of genocidal and globally destructive forces (both nuclear and otherwise), but each news cycle makes the employment of such force less likely. One could even argue that the use of such force by any industrialized country would be tantamount to commercial suicide in the post bi-polar world.
The 21st Century landscape is one in which power is transferred through market fluctuations and the perception of strength. As any good trader of commodities will tell you, the greatest influential factor on the trading floor is fear. When a group perceives a future condition fearfully, the resulting panic makes that group susceptible to a wide variety of wild market influences. Terrorists simply seek to foment unrest and fear. The results are actually of small import to them.
When the “War on Terror” began is about as vague as what Joan Rivers’ face really looks like. For many Americans, it might be 9/11/01. For British, it might be 7/7/05. For Spaniards, it might be 3/11/04. For Austrians it could be 12/21/75. For Germans, it might be 9/5/72.
In practical application, terrorism has been around as long as one force has had a (real or perceived) marked advantage over its opponent. As far back as Sun Tzu, military minds have stressed that winning is a function of aims, preparations, and will. If you begin a conflict with certain aims, do what is necessary to prepare, and keep to the task longer than your enemy, victory is assured. Nowhere does it state that you need to be alive at the end. You simply need to achieve your objective(s).
For those engaged in terror against the powers of the West, victory might be close at hand.
Posit:
ter·ror- [ter-er] - noun
1. intense, sharp, overmastering fear: to be frantic with terror.
2. an instance or cause of intense fear or anxiety; quality of causing terror: to be a terror to evildoers.
3. any period of frightful violence or bloodshed likened to the Reign of Terror in France.
4. violence or threats of violence used for intimidation or coercion; terrorism.
On 9/10/2001, the price of an ounce of gold was about $272.00. On 8/26/2011, it was about $1820.00 (an increase of 669%).
In 2001, the average price for a barrel of crude oil was $23.00, in 2011, it is $90.33 (an increase of 392%).
In 2001, the US National Debt was approximately $5.77 Trillion. In 2011, it is approximately $13.562 Trillion (an increase of 235%).
In 2001, the World GDP was $32.009 trillion. In 2009, it was $58.26 trillion (a growth rate of 82%). During that same period, the US GDP grew from $10.234 Trillion to $14,119 trillion (a growth rate of 38%).
The total US defense budget in 2001 was $333 billion. In 2009, it was $706 billion (an increase of 112%).
We became great as a Nation of inspiration, innovation, industry, economy, and effort. These processes resulted in waves of generational profit from the Westward Expansion to the Industrial Revolution to the New Deal to the Information Age. Each of these segments of our time required a supreme effort from a dedicated, enthusiastic work force which saw greater opportunities for personal advancement and bold steps forward in social achievement. This effort is only possible when the American worker sees promise and profit.
In economics, there is no stagnation; there is expansion or contraction. The difference is usually to be found in how much you are spending, and what you are spending it for. Are the expenses to purchase end-user items that have very little discernable benefit; or investments in infrastructure and industry which will bear the fruit of an expanded economic and tax base that perpetuates the cycle for the “General Welfare”?
Unending war has brought the latter. It somehow became conventional to employ a cyclical equality between budgeting for conflict and bureaucracy after the attacks of 9/11/01.
The “War on Terror” may be one of the grossest mischaracterizations in human history. It is not a war any more than buying a baseball bat makes you a hockey player.
There is no identifiable enemy force, as in a war.
There is no clearly cut and achievable goals, as in a war.
There is no specified field of battle, as in a war.
There are no measurable progress points, as in a war.
What you get in a situation where fear is used time and again as the motivating force is an ambiguous cloud which cannot be controlled. In theory, an expense or encroachment on personal liberty which is done in the name of “security” is warranted. Conversely, any objection to these acts is seen as “un-American”.
Thankfully, we have moved (almost completely past) the disgusting abuse of returning troops during the Vietnam Era. On the other hand (and in a sick twist of irony), the troops are now being treated even worse! Sending battle units to theaters of war that do not make use of their excellent conventional training has wrought hundreds of thousands of wounds and hardships for the next 50+ years of these brave young people’s lives. Since anti-war is now seen as anti-American, the troops get shoveled into needless harm. The resulting drain on the economy has also reared it’s vicious head in lower benefits for wounded veterans, sub standard conditions at Veterans Centers, and an absence of counseling and support for those whose psyche is permanently thrown asunder by the experience of conflict.
War? War there a declaration of war? No. There wasn’t. Nor can there be an absolute victory; only more imposition and needless expense of blood and resources.
If the aim of the terrorists on 9/11/01 was to conduct a significant terrorist attack, they may have had these goals in mind:
1) An initial strike of damage disproportionately large compared to their resources.
2) An initial and severe disruption of the US transportation system on which American rely so much.
3) An increased level of turmoil inspired by ratings-driven media which stokes the prejudices and hatreds of the electorate.
4) An irrationally large military advancement in troops, resources and ever-widening geographic regions (Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya) based on a “war” which paints the US in an ever-increasingly negative light around the World.
5) A routine pattern of vague and unreal threats in the form of video and audio messages (costing but a few dollars to produce) that spin the US population around and around in their perceived spiral of defense against a never-ending aggressor.
6) A heightened sense of angst and anger in the US population that results in a constant debate/contest over “patriotism” that expands the level of resentment and discord in every discussion from abortion to gay marriage to the school lunch program.
…all for the price of a few plane tickets and box cutters.
When George Bush equated a trip to the mall as necessary to ensure the “terrorists don’t win”, he was actually right (albeit in concept more than alliterative style). A terrorist does not desire a pitched battle between hundreds of thousands of soldiers on a far off battlefield or sector of the seas. He desires a disruption of the way of life in the enemy which is many, many times greater than the resources and scope of the original attack(s).
It is not unreasonable or anti-American to question where we stand in the “war on terror”, and whether or not we are behaving exactly as those animals might have hoped. Is this a contest to see how many people we can kill? Is that who we are? No. It is most assuredly not.
Consider the following:
A) Driving down the highway, seeing signs encouraging us to “report suspicious activity”. Do you know the phone number by heart? No, you don’t. You do get a little pang of fear, perhaps. That’s the goal.
B) The TSA. Billions of dollars spent. Not one arrest in one airport foiling one plot in almost a decade.
The World Trade Center is nowhere near complete, and the gruesome images are thrown in our faces whenever a budget needs to be passed.
D) The “Patriot Act” has been renewed. The largest infringement on the rights of Americans in history continues.
E) Our standing in the Community of Nations may never have been lower, thus impeding our trade and diplomatic missions and stifling our progress.
F) Afghanistan.
G) Iraq.
H) Libya.
I) Both parties are now fully engaged in the war industry and profiteering has never been higher.
J) Sunday, 9/1/11 will mark a terrible and ghastly anniversary. It should be honored and remembered. By the way, how many people celebrate victory in World War II? What date is that? You don’t know?
Exactly. The fear is perpetuated, but not the triumph. This is not American, as far as I can tell.
There is only one way to “win” this “war”. It is not to fight.
Maintain progressive, confident and free American life. Respect the rights of each other and countries around the world. Avoid foolhardy foreign expeditions which only maim our youth, reduce our stature and rob us of our commercial well being. Stop looking for situations to disagree and disrespect the process and the people, and begin the work which (in the vast majority of cases) we ALL agree needs to be done.
Being free is about what you DO and how you ACT…not who you fight.
The eagle is facing the olive branch, not the arrows. This is not a trivial fact. The folks that chose these symbols were more detailing what they dreamed we would become and always remain.
Honor THAT on September 11, and every other day.
In that way, America wins.
So does humankind.
Be blessed by blessing each other.
G-d bless America.
Amen.
