The United States's long war

Mail & Guardian (South Africa) ^ | 15 February 2006 | Mail & Guardian

[EBH]

The plan rests heavily on a much higher level of cooperation and integration with Britain and other Nato allies, and the increased recruitment of regional governments through the use of economic, political, military and security means. It calls on allies to build their capacity "to share the risks and responsibilities of today's complex challenges".

That is a mighty tall order on its face, as we watch "allies" barter with Iran and Hamas now. This is going to require that internally the international diplomacy is better supported. Which means, that the Al Gore's of the US, sit down and shut up for they do not know who the enemy is.

I notice no mention of the UN, but of regional/local forces and allies. In some cases being considered better 'equipped' to deal with the challanges of the area? So what does that mean in conflicts like Darfur?

How will conflicts be determined? Which will call upon the US to interfere?

And what is to be done with our own divided nation? The hearts and minds of the American people must be won too. Perhaps there should be more cartoons, as that seems to one of the few things that moved them out of the comfortable left leaning home for a bit.

[Cornpone]

"One could go further and say that a perceived weakness or an open FEAR of conflict is the cause of most wars."

I find it sad but I suspect it is fear that makes the world go round...but that's a long story.

[Cornpone]

"That is a mighty tall order on its face, as we watch "allies" barter with Iran and Hamas now. This is going to require that internally the international diplomacy is better supported. Which means, that the Al Gore's of the US, sit down and shut up for they do not know who the enemy is."

I suspect most of the world, including our 'allies', are trying to find their landing spot as they struggle with the fact our power is diminishing in relation to other, rising global powers (China, India and others). However, sooner or later birds of a feather will flock together as it becomes increasingly evident we (all civilized peoples including India and China) face a common threat...Islam.

[LibLieSlayer]

"It would be ironic is in defeating Islam we allowed Communism to reignite."

Which is exactly why President Bush is filling the void up with Freedom, Liberty and Democracy!

LLS

[patriciaruth]

We can't defeat Islam. We might be able to cause it to be reformed.

Christianity had Martin Luther and some other notables. At the moment the greatest Islamic reformer seems to me to be George W. Bush.

[Cronos]

Islamm was a danger, 1300 years BEFORE Communism and it's still a danger -- it was an evil thing BEFORE communism and still is now, AFTER communism. Get over the cold war.

[patriciaruth]

Yes, war among humans is not permanent.

I believe there are 47 years or so in the entire recorded history of the world where no one was fighting somewhere on the globe.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

The reference to TE Lawrence's role in the attack on Aqaba. It is told in his book "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom," and the movie "Lawrence of Arabia."

I remember a key scene in the movie when crossing the Nafu desert Lawrence went back to same a young boy that was missing. Omar Sharif told him, "It is written" he is dead. Lawrence went back for him, found him and saved him, and then said to Sharif "Nothing is written." This scene explains a lot about the difference in the Arab and Western cultures. Arab cultures are much more fatalistic, while we believe in free will. I liked in Saudi Arabia for 5 years and it was very common for Arabs to say that something happened because Allah willed it. They actually believe that someone could be murdered and that was Allah's will. What this means is that Arabs will go with the flow if they think it is predetermined.
This does not mean that Arabs are in sync with each other. The other scene in "Lawrence of Arabia" that is memorable is after Lawrence and his Arabs have taken Damascus and they are all gathered around a huge table trying to agree on who is responsible for what. Tribal differences prevail and the city collapses, so the British have to take over and run the city. Arabs are very family and tribal oriented, and it is hard to get them to agree.

[patriciaruth]

The Soviet Union has disbanded, but communism has merely taken a blow and is regrouping.

[metesky]

Why not? We outsourced the invasion of Ashcanistan and that worked pretty well.

[siunevada]

"The Long War"

Almost 1400 years now.

[patriciaruth]

The whole point of this article is that the invasion can go well whether we use irregular indigents (Afghanistan) or infantry divisions of the U.S. armed forces (Iraq).

BUT

We are facing a rise in attacks from the Taliban in Afghanistan (with Canada and Australia now sending more troops to help counter it)

AND we face continuing attacks on our forces in Iraq.

Thinking the Islamic radicals in Afghanistan and Iraq are going to go away is like thinking the fascist liberals in the U.S. are going to go away.

I believe we are in for a long haul on both fronts.

[mdittmar]

towards a rapid deployment of highly mobile, often covert, counter-terrorist forces.

Iran is toast,it just doesn't know it yet.

[Cronos]

No, the problem isIslam period -- not communism. Communism has been proven wrong and everyone knows it. Isllam has been an evil since the 7th century.

[johnny7]

I felt that statement was pretty safe... even here.;)

[patriciaruth]

Have you looked at Iran on a map?

Have you compared the land mass and the population of Iran to Afghanistan and Iraq?

Iran is neither toast nor a piece of cake.

[Just mythoughts]

Thanks for the ping.

[prairiebreeze]

The report exposes the sheer ambition of the US attempt to mastermind global security. "

Indeed, because we are the only ones who can.

PING!

[bikepacker67]

The emphasis switches from large-scale, conventional military operations, such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq, towards a rapid deployment of highly mobile, often covert, counter-terrorist forces.

And hopefully lots and lots of cruise missiles.

[patriciaruth]

Communism has been proven wrong and everyone knows it.

@@ rolling eyes up in head.

Gosh, you could have fooled Chavez, the People's Republic of China, a large contingent in Russia, North Korea, many U.S. university professors, the MSM, Hollywood, etc. etc.

Communism fielded many fellow travellers and dedicated Marxists throughout the United States and the world before the Soviet Union broke up. These people were dazed for a while, but not defeated.

They have found an ally in radical Islamics. They are riding the back of a tiger, IMO, but they have deluded themselves into believing that bringing the U.S. to its knees is the most important thing.

They fail to understand their new ally. They think once the U.S. is eviscerated that the radical Islamics are merely peasants/untutored barbarians who will be brushed away by the historic broom sweeps of socialism and communism.

The dead hand of communism is going to hand over nuclear technology to the radical Islamics and even more deadly is going to provide them with a bully pulpit for years to come.