Suppose there was a huge brawl at the bar down the street from your house, and the President called in the Marines. I know, I know, that would never happen--but humor me for a moment. There's a larger point I'm aiming for.
Let's say the Devil Dogs came in a couple of armor and infantry squads, killed a few of brawlers, and 'captured' more. Because they are now in the custody of the Corps, imagine with me that rather than turning these thugs over to the Police for lockup in your local jail, the Leathernecks followed 'their' regulations and tossed 'em in the brig.
In addition to a tremendous legal mess, what you would have on your hands is an example of using the wrong tool for the job.
You would have your very own Guantanamo -- a scenario which never should a been a military problem in the first place.
The military exists to represent our nation in war against other nations with whom we have disputes that cannot be resolved by diplomatic or economic means. It is not the most effective tool in America's arsenal for rounding up thugs--even really, really bad ones.
That's what law enforcement is for.
I was watching that Tuesday morning when a group of incredibly inventive thugs pulled off the crime of the century. With a death toll of thousands, these were criminals of the highest order. They belonged to one of the most aggressive international gangs of our lifetime.
But they had the distinction of not belonging to another nation. They were and are freelancers--not soldiers.
America loves a good war. It brings us closer together, and helps us get rid of bad people. It increases the level of patriotism, and energizes the economy.
That might be why we declare so many of them. We've had wars on drugs, and poverty, the deficit, and now a war on terror. How have those turned out?
Declaring war on random things is ... wait, let me think of an appropriate word ... ok, got it.
Stupid.
A war on terror or terrorism is a bad idea from the start. It engages the wrong tool for a vapor mission.
America has built the most powerful military in the history of the planet. We can show force at any spot on the globe in mere minutes when we set our mind to it. And woe be to the focus of our fury.
But even Spider Man realized that with great power comes great responsibility, and hopefully the lesson we'll walk away from this chapter of history will be to not declare "wars" so frivolously.
Responding to the horrific attacks of 9/11 was a job for crime-fighters, not warriors. Spending the same amount of money on INTERPOL, the FBI, the CIA, and small groups of Special Operations forces under their control would've avoided a lot of this mess.
Why?
Because without an actual country to fight, the military starts off at a horrible disadvantage. They're not equipped for nation-building. They're equipped for nation destroying--which is a very necessary function to have at your disposal.
The military operates under a completely different set of rules, regulations, and laws than the rest of us. It is a code shared by all the militaries of the world. At REAL war, you know exactly what to do with the guy pointing a gun at you, because he has on a uniform and when you capture him, there's a step-by-step guide specifying how he is to be treated.
You don't have to make up a name for him, or invent a status. And you damn sure don't have to create a new prison or judicial system for him.
There's another bonus. You know when the job is finished.
Anybody got any idea when we should "end" the Global War on Terror? Hell, anybody got any idea who the flesh and blood enemy is in the Global War on Terror? The word "global" should give you a hint.
We have literally chosen to fight everybody who has a thought or idea that could be "terroristic." That should turn out well.
Can you imagine a Global War on Murder?
I mean, seriously. Can you??
There are hundreds of people waking up in America right now with absolutely no idea that tomorrow they're going to kill someone. There are a few hundred more who know exactly who they'd like to kill and how, but for one reason or another it won't happen. Not tomorrow, not ever. There are literally thousands who'd like to kill someone but don't have the guts, or the means, or the opportunity.
How many dollars of your money are you willing to commit right now to go out and find all of those people?
The GWOT is approaching $1,000,000,000 in cash expended. That's the actual bullets and bombs and boats. There are estimates that double and triple that amount in actual costs.
Good investment? Perhaps so. There HAVE been many lives saved.
But on the morning we declare the war finished, what will we have put in place to stop a terrorist from committing a heinous act that afternoon?
The answer is simple. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
An American life in combat is never wasted. Those brave men and women fight for the idea of America. Not the flag, not the Constitution, not even the President ... the idea. They kill and are killed to defend our National interests.
Seems like we owe it to them to be "interested" in putting the right tool to work on the right job.
Peace,
--Stew.
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We have literally chosen to fight everybody who has a thought or idea that could be "terroristic." That should turn out well.
ReplyDeleteOur current administration has declared that our own military should be considered "terrorists"
"Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished." Psalm 91:8
This Memorial Day I'll remember those who have fought and died and those who are still fighting the good fight, and pray that they have an America that prays for them and stands beside them.