FreeFaller
USAF LS8
In order to understand the Global War on Terror (GWOT) we must understand the intricacies of terrorism.
Terrorism and how it works
Terrorism requires a leader or group of leaders all of whom stand behind a certain political/religious/ethnic belief to conceal their true motives. These leaders require fanatical followers to carry out their plans, whatever they may be. For the most part the leaders of these organizations do not carry out these acts themselves, but rather, depend on the use of their followers to sacrifice/risk themselves and act as the proverbial “tip of the spear”. However, if we were to simply seek out the leaders of these organizations and remove them from influence there would be little effect because of the fluid nature of terrorism. The true way to extinguish the terrorist cause is to remove from these “leaders” their base of followers.
The followers of terrorist causes tend to come from two types of backgrounds. Most prominent of these two are poor, undereducated types who are willing to believe in almost anything to better their lives. The salvation promised by these terrorist leaders is almost narcotic in nature (not unlike Adolf Hitler did to post Versailles Germany). To a person with nothing to lose, the prospect of salvation through self-sacrifice is a powerful lever with which to manipulate a people. The other, and far less prominent, group of people come from middle to upper class families with average to above-average educations. These persons become involved in these types of organizations for two main reasons: religious or self-gratification. Religion has power over people in many ways and can even turn an otherwise reasonable person into a zealot if given the right influence at the right time. Other times however people in this group get involved due to the promise of power or riches. These people tend to not give their lives in attacks but rather perform them as a means to rise in influence of the organization.
Terrorism works because it attacks the core belief of our society: freedom from fear. It is well known by terrorist masterminds that attacks on military targets are largely shrugged off by the majority of the populace. The lack of public outcry from the attacks on the Marine barracks in Lebanon, Bombing of Air Force barracks in Dhahran (Saudi Arabia) and the bombing of the USS Cole prove this fact. The average citizen expects the military to face a certain amount of danger in their duties and therefore does not express a large amount of concern when they are attacked. However, if a civilian target is attacked, (Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in OKC) public outcry and fear are raised at an exponential rate. This is due to the belief that we are safe in our daily activities from such horrible acts. Any disruption in this principle causes a shockwave through our society and, quite often, results in the desired effect of the attacks.
GWOT…not just Bin Laden
Not long after the horrible acts of September 11th, the United States was forced to look at international terrorism and how to combat it. Quite actually, we had been at war with terrorists prior to this time however, until 9/11 it was not front page news. The world’s first response was outrage and this was evident with the counter attack on the supportive Afghani state and it’s Taliban regime. This highly effective campaign to destroy the terrorist training camps and oust a dictatorial leadership was seen by the world as just and watched by the people of this country with their approval. They saw the mission of this war as the capture of one man and his henchmen. However, this war spans the globe, involves billions of people and some countries that few know exist.
Humanitarian Aid
The United States is the largest contributor of foreign aid in world history. No other country has given so much as the American people. Entire countries are fed by her soil and stabilized by her strength. This generosity goes largely unnoticed by the majority of people worldwide…even those we feed. But, one of the missions of the GWOT is to put an American face on our kindness. As you read this, thousands of US military personnel are deployed around the world feeding, building, educating, stabilizing and providing much needed medical care to those in need. Not just in oil rich countries like Iraq and the rest of South West Asia, but in South America, South East Asia, Europe, Africa and the Pacific. These military men and women are fighting the war without firing a single round but rather with the warmth of the American heart. Because when you make a persons life better and give them hope, you provide a counter to the ideology of terrorism.
Iraq
The March 2003 invasion of Iraq was far less enthusiastically received by the world body politic. The requirement of people to see a concrete reason for the invasion of a sovereign nation led to the implication of continued use of WMD by the nation of Iraq. This was touted as the primary reason for action and, quite unfortunately, was never sufficiently proved after the fact. Although the world saw this as a failure of the current administration (even seen as an outright lie by some), very few have notice the huge opportunity presented by a free Iraq in an area dominated by totalitarian regimes.
Hope is a powerful weapon in this war and can be used to better the lives of people all over the Pan-Arab world and beyond. The success of a Democratic Iraq would fuel pro-democratic sentiment across the world by showing what can be gained from such policies. It has always been fact that a country stands to have more success in reform if the people of that country rise up and, with stoic determination, break the chains of bondage that have been forced upon them for so long. If Iraq prospers in her freedom she will be an example to others in the area. Soon the people of the surrounding area will be filled with hope and the desire to be free. Because no government can stand up to the desire of their people the dictatorial governments will fall like dominoes and freedom will ring throughout the land.
This is the mission of the GWOT. Not just destruction and punishment…but hope.
May God bless the rest of the world as we have been blessed…and may the light of freedom never extinguish…but spread to every corner of the globe.
Terrorism and how it works
Terrorism requires a leader or group of leaders all of whom stand behind a certain political/religious/ethnic belief to conceal their true motives. These leaders require fanatical followers to carry out their plans, whatever they may be. For the most part the leaders of these organizations do not carry out these acts themselves, but rather, depend on the use of their followers to sacrifice/risk themselves and act as the proverbial “tip of the spear”. However, if we were to simply seek out the leaders of these organizations and remove them from influence there would be little effect because of the fluid nature of terrorism. The true way to extinguish the terrorist cause is to remove from these “leaders” their base of followers.
The followers of terrorist causes tend to come from two types of backgrounds. Most prominent of these two are poor, undereducated types who are willing to believe in almost anything to better their lives. The salvation promised by these terrorist leaders is almost narcotic in nature (not unlike Adolf Hitler did to post Versailles Germany). To a person with nothing to lose, the prospect of salvation through self-sacrifice is a powerful lever with which to manipulate a people. The other, and far less prominent, group of people come from middle to upper class families with average to above-average educations. These persons become involved in these types of organizations for two main reasons: religious or self-gratification. Religion has power over people in many ways and can even turn an otherwise reasonable person into a zealot if given the right influence at the right time. Other times however people in this group get involved due to the promise of power or riches. These people tend to not give their lives in attacks but rather perform them as a means to rise in influence of the organization.
Terrorism works because it attacks the core belief of our society: freedom from fear. It is well known by terrorist masterminds that attacks on military targets are largely shrugged off by the majority of the populace. The lack of public outcry from the attacks on the Marine barracks in Lebanon, Bombing of Air Force barracks in Dhahran (Saudi Arabia) and the bombing of the USS Cole prove this fact. The average citizen expects the military to face a certain amount of danger in their duties and therefore does not express a large amount of concern when they are attacked. However, if a civilian target is attacked, (Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in OKC) public outcry and fear are raised at an exponential rate. This is due to the belief that we are safe in our daily activities from such horrible acts. Any disruption in this principle causes a shockwave through our society and, quite often, results in the desired effect of the attacks.
GWOT…not just Bin Laden
Not long after the horrible acts of September 11th, the United States was forced to look at international terrorism and how to combat it. Quite actually, we had been at war with terrorists prior to this time however, until 9/11 it was not front page news. The world’s first response was outrage and this was evident with the counter attack on the supportive Afghani state and it’s Taliban regime. This highly effective campaign to destroy the terrorist training camps and oust a dictatorial leadership was seen by the world as just and watched by the people of this country with their approval. They saw the mission of this war as the capture of one man and his henchmen. However, this war spans the globe, involves billions of people and some countries that few know exist.
Humanitarian Aid
The United States is the largest contributor of foreign aid in world history. No other country has given so much as the American people. Entire countries are fed by her soil and stabilized by her strength. This generosity goes largely unnoticed by the majority of people worldwide…even those we feed. But, one of the missions of the GWOT is to put an American face on our kindness. As you read this, thousands of US military personnel are deployed around the world feeding, building, educating, stabilizing and providing much needed medical care to those in need. Not just in oil rich countries like Iraq and the rest of South West Asia, but in South America, South East Asia, Europe, Africa and the Pacific. These military men and women are fighting the war without firing a single round but rather with the warmth of the American heart. Because when you make a persons life better and give them hope, you provide a counter to the ideology of terrorism.
Iraq
The March 2003 invasion of Iraq was far less enthusiastically received by the world body politic. The requirement of people to see a concrete reason for the invasion of a sovereign nation led to the implication of continued use of WMD by the nation of Iraq. This was touted as the primary reason for action and, quite unfortunately, was never sufficiently proved after the fact. Although the world saw this as a failure of the current administration (even seen as an outright lie by some), very few have notice the huge opportunity presented by a free Iraq in an area dominated by totalitarian regimes.
Hope is a powerful weapon in this war and can be used to better the lives of people all over the Pan-Arab world and beyond. The success of a Democratic Iraq would fuel pro-democratic sentiment across the world by showing what can be gained from such policies. It has always been fact that a country stands to have more success in reform if the people of that country rise up and, with stoic determination, break the chains of bondage that have been forced upon them for so long. If Iraq prospers in her freedom she will be an example to others in the area. Soon the people of the surrounding area will be filled with hope and the desire to be free. Because no government can stand up to the desire of their people the dictatorial governments will fall like dominoes and freedom will ring throughout the land.
This is the mission of the GWOT. Not just destruction and punishment…but hope.
May God bless the rest of the world as we have been blessed…and may the light of freedom never extinguish…but spread to every corner of the globe.
but yeah in some ways there should be a middle ground that involves unwavering resolve but through peaceful action. There are things to be learned from both schools of thought. Just as the left is moving further left and abandoning the middle ground, much of the right is moving to far right and both are becoming militant on both sides. This extreme polarization could lead to another civil war. a house divided against itself can not stand.