War Is Peace
By James Bowden
More war in Iraq means more peace in America. If there’s still fighting ten years from now, it’s better than cut and run. If there are casualties every month, they’re fewer than the U.S. would lose fighting where the enemy chooses the battlefield. The Iraq War is really just a battle in a very big, terribly long WW IV. The Islamists are the enemy.
Islamists number more than Germany and Japan put together in WWII. World-wide Islam breeds more Islamists every day. So, WW IV will continue until Islam has a Reformation and Enlightenment, converts or renounces conflict totally. Achieving any victory condition will take decades, if not centuries. Islamists started the war. They’ll keep fighting regardless. America shouldn’t make a ‘Spanish Peace’ – which is appease today and surrender tomorrow.
Last year I wrote ‘The Long Hard Peace’ for Iraq was an uncertain peace at best http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/jbowden
/2003/jb_0421. shtml or http://www.bushcountry.org/news/
columnists/jbowden/c_041603_jbowden_ long_hard_peace.htm Events are playing out as expected. So, expect several Army divisions in Iraq for a decade – or more. The challenge isn’t the skill and courage of our U.S. Army, but the Will of the American People. The questions that bleed or bolster willpower deserve truthful answers, like these ‘buts’ about our fighting in Iraq…
But, fighting is a diversion from the war against the terrorists, like Osama Bin Laden. . No, don’t underestimate the resources of the Armed Forces. Fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq aren’t mutually exclusive. The Occupation of Iraq demands much, but eliminating Saddam Hussein was a huge blow to terrorist networks and Iraq as a state threat. Regime change in Iraq serves as an object lesson for terrorist sponsors, like Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.
But, fighting creates new Muslim warriors. No, neither strength nor weakness produces Islamists. Simple, devout interpretations of the Koran produce Islamists. Our mere existence as a state - not subjects under the Sharia - creates Jihad for many Muslims.
But, fighting is suppressing the Iraqi People. No, the Sunni minority, who are Baathists, and Shiite majority are trying to capture the new Iraq with arms. They can be suppressed enough, bought off, and played off if our Occupation is skillful.
But fighting creates an endless cycle of violence, new enemies and being bogged down like Vietnam. No, actual fighting wins or loses only a local situation. Fighting is a means to effect the ends - Will. So, every military action is a political event. Every political event has an information outcome. The outcome is the story that builds or breaks the enemy Will. Our Coalition must fight with a plan for every outcome as a story.
But, fighting isolates - us from European Allies. We’re losing Allies. Yes and no. Fighting separates us from Europeans who are too weak to defend themselves, too impotent to even reproduce their population, too secular to challenge Islamic conversions with Christian evangelism, too fearful to staunch or decrease their Muslim minorities. These Nations, who commit suicide, deserve to die. Others, who know they still have fighting men, are Christian, and remember totalitarianism enough to hate it, will fight as our willing Allies.
But, fighting isolates us from the World Community. No, there is no World Community. There are the chattering liberal elites who enrich themselves through the United Nations, foundations, universities, and the media. The World will hate, love, fear and envy – simultaneously - our American Imperial Republic throughout this phase of history. Enough of the World will follow the wise exercise of American power wed to American Will
But, fighting doesn’t protect the U.S. Homeland. No, the best defense is a good offense. Fighting in Iraq protects the U.S. by killing more Islamists faster, further from home. Yet, no defense is perfect.
But, fighting isn’t worth American lives. No, every American death is worth winning WW IV. WW IV is a fight for our freedom, our faith and our American Civilization.
But, fighting will cost too many lives for too many years. No, the price is worth the final peace in victory. Freedom from Islamist barbarian rule is worthy of a war for centuries.
‘War is Peace’ sounds so Orwellian. Except, this isn’t Big Brother’s totalitarian lie. It’s how you fight Totalitarians who are also Barbarians. It’s how you resolve a clash of civilizations – like our Indian Wars (1608-1891). War on the frontier of the American Empire means more peace ‘back East.’ America must have a Will for War in Iraq for as long as the Islamists want to bring it on.
James A. Bowden has worked as a Defense Department consultant specializing in inter-disciplinary long range ‘futures’ studies for over a decade. He retired from the United States Army after 20 years of service as an Infantry Officer. Mr. Bowden is a 1972 graduate of the United States Military Academy and earned graduate degrees from Harvard University and Columbia University. He resides in Poquoson, VA.
By James Bowden
More war in Iraq means more peace in America. If there’s still fighting ten years from now, it’s better than cut and run. If there are casualties every month, they’re fewer than the U.S. would lose fighting where the enemy chooses the battlefield. The Iraq War is really just a battle in a very big, terribly long WW IV. The Islamists are the enemy.
Islamists number more than Germany and Japan put together in WWII. World-wide Islam breeds more Islamists every day. So, WW IV will continue until Islam has a Reformation and Enlightenment, converts or renounces conflict totally. Achieving any victory condition will take decades, if not centuries. Islamists started the war. They’ll keep fighting regardless. America shouldn’t make a ‘Spanish Peace’ – which is appease today and surrender tomorrow.
Last year I wrote ‘The Long Hard Peace’ for Iraq was an uncertain peace at best http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/jbowden
/2003/jb_0421. shtml or http://www.bushcountry.org/news/
columnists/jbowden/c_041603_jbowden_ long_hard_peace.htm Events are playing out as expected. So, expect several Army divisions in Iraq for a decade – or more. The challenge isn’t the skill and courage of our U.S. Army, but the Will of the American People. The questions that bleed or bolster willpower deserve truthful answers, like these ‘buts’ about our fighting in Iraq…
But, fighting is a diversion from the war against the terrorists, like Osama Bin Laden. . No, don’t underestimate the resources of the Armed Forces. Fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq aren’t mutually exclusive. The Occupation of Iraq demands much, but eliminating Saddam Hussein was a huge blow to terrorist networks and Iraq as a state threat. Regime change in Iraq serves as an object lesson for terrorist sponsors, like Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.
But, fighting creates new Muslim warriors. No, neither strength nor weakness produces Islamists. Simple, devout interpretations of the Koran produce Islamists. Our mere existence as a state - not subjects under the Sharia - creates Jihad for many Muslims.
But, fighting is suppressing the Iraqi People. No, the Sunni minority, who are Baathists, and Shiite majority are trying to capture the new Iraq with arms. They can be suppressed enough, bought off, and played off if our Occupation is skillful.
But fighting creates an endless cycle of violence, new enemies and being bogged down like Vietnam. No, actual fighting wins or loses only a local situation. Fighting is a means to effect the ends - Will. So, every military action is a political event. Every political event has an information outcome. The outcome is the story that builds or breaks the enemy Will. Our Coalition must fight with a plan for every outcome as a story.
But, fighting isolates - us from European Allies. We’re losing Allies. Yes and no. Fighting separates us from Europeans who are too weak to defend themselves, too impotent to even reproduce their population, too secular to challenge Islamic conversions with Christian evangelism, too fearful to staunch or decrease their Muslim minorities. These Nations, who commit suicide, deserve to die. Others, who know they still have fighting men, are Christian, and remember totalitarianism enough to hate it, will fight as our willing Allies.
But, fighting isolates us from the World Community. No, there is no World Community. There are the chattering liberal elites who enrich themselves through the United Nations, foundations, universities, and the media. The World will hate, love, fear and envy – simultaneously - our American Imperial Republic throughout this phase of history. Enough of the World will follow the wise exercise of American power wed to American Will
But, fighting doesn’t protect the U.S. Homeland. No, the best defense is a good offense. Fighting in Iraq protects the U.S. by killing more Islamists faster, further from home. Yet, no defense is perfect.
But, fighting isn’t worth American lives. No, every American death is worth winning WW IV. WW IV is a fight for our freedom, our faith and our American Civilization.
But, fighting will cost too many lives for too many years. No, the price is worth the final peace in victory. Freedom from Islamist barbarian rule is worthy of a war for centuries.
‘War is Peace’ sounds so Orwellian. Except, this isn’t Big Brother’s totalitarian lie. It’s how you fight Totalitarians who are also Barbarians. It’s how you resolve a clash of civilizations – like our Indian Wars (1608-1891). War on the frontier of the American Empire means more peace ‘back East.’ America must have a Will for War in Iraq for as long as the Islamists want to bring it on.
James A. Bowden has worked as a Defense Department consultant specializing in inter-disciplinary long range ‘futures’ studies for over a decade. He retired from the United States Army after 20 years of service as an Infantry Officer. Mr. Bowden is a 1972 graduate of the United States Military Academy and earned graduate degrees from Harvard University and Columbia University. He resides in Poquoson, VA.
