Struggling To Be Civilized

Bush apparently says we are in a "Struggle for Civilization" when it comes to our future; specifically dealing with terrorism. I find this an interesting phrase, it is a phrase that I'm sure whichever speech writer wrote it is very proud of. I'd be proud of the phrase if I wrote it, but then again I'd never be a speech writer for Bush. It's very catchy and I'm sure many will be using it.

Let's think a bit about warfare. Often times when one side is fighting what seems a losing battle against a force that has superior weapons and technology they must rely on alternative methods at their disposal in order to achieve their goals. Their goal may be to actually destroy the enemy unit, or perhaps just keep being annoying by whittling away little by little at the unit (and its morale) so that eventually they will win. These methods, whether they be ones created out of ingenuity or desperation, are usually found 'on the home grounds' when people are fighting an occupying or invading force.

Back in the history of the United States, when we were fighting the British it was considered "uncivilized" to conduct war the way we did. Normally units would square off and face each other on the battlefield and shoot. Those with the most soldiers remaining won. (Yes I'm highly generalizing on that). But those bright red highly trained phalanx of British soldiers would be a deadly force against farmers and untrained militia. So we early Americans took up policies of ambush, hit and run and sniping the British from concealed areas in order to achieve our goals. I'd be willing to bet that Imperial soldiers riding in the Landwalkers considered being tripped by Ewoks as being uncivilized, but hey...I'm drifting here a bit. You understand where I'm going with this...sometimes the only option available is something unorthodox like a car bomb or a person bomb. I don't like it and yes it's not civilized. As long as we are in Iraq I am certain that we will continue to be 'whittle away' by sniping and explosions and whatever else they can think of.

Now with regards to the terrorist attack on the United States. It was horrible. It should not have happened. I'm sorry all those people died. I'm sorry New York had a new huge pile of garbage they couldn't immediately dump in New Jersey. (sorry NJ, couldn't resist that one). Were those that died in the twin towers heroes? No, they were not. Were the firemen and police? Perhaps, but they were doing their jobs; and they do heroic stuff daily before this...though I'm sure there were many instances of altruism and heroism during this catastrophe. You want to really honor the dead and the heroes? If you do you'll demand the truth behind the attacks and the truth behind our going into Iraq. Remember the closed meeting where defense and policy was being discussed and the attendees present would not be identified? Do you really think that the invasion of Iraq was NOT the main topic of conversation in that matter?! I personally feel that the goals of the administration, in line with a vision set forth by the Project for New American Century, was to go into Iraq one way or another. In order to galvanize the American people for a massive ground war they needed a Pearl Harbor type of event to rally support. I do not think that they thought that the towers would actually come down but I do feel that it is quite possible that the terrorist attacks on the United States were allowed to happen in order to make it easier to go to war in Iraq. It gave us a War Boner.

Afghanistan? I don't have a problem with us having gone into Afghanistan to try to find Bin Laden. We didn't though did we. Curious. If we had, perhaps the "War On terror" wouldn't be quite so scary...or needed. I think Bin Laden's very alive and well and perhaps in Pakistan. I don't really think that his terrorist network would crumble if he went away (was captured/killed) though.

I mentioned how the firefighters and police actually may have been heroic while doing their jobs. Lots of folks have jobs, some of which I'd not want to do, that demand them to do things...well "demanding" on a daily basis. Sometimes courage and bravery enter into that. Librarians may need to be brave and do their jobs perhaps keeping certain books on the shelves or not releasing lists of what borrowers borrow. Congressmen need to be brave and do their jobs and not relinquish their authority to declare war. (By the way...as an aside you can't have a war on terror you can only declare war on a country. You can't declare a war on a method or a concept. Having a war on terror is like having a war on combing, or frying or even humor ... it's ridiculous) The Pentagon and the Joint Chief of Staff need to be brave and do their jobs and not follow illegal orders. Citizens need to be brave and do their jobs as voters and make rational informed choices. The press need to be brave and do their jobs and find the truth and report it. We all must be brave and do our jobs to make sure that we are not continually "dumbed down" as a citizenry whether through misinformation (or lack of information) in the news media or through the dismantling of our public education system.

Rather than a "Struggle For Civilization" I think we face a "Struggle To Be Civilized". Having secret prisons, conducting torture, raping and murdering and granting no rights to prisoners are not civilized traits. Spying on the publics phone calls or emails is not a civilized trait. Invading a nation under the guise of fighting terrorism and to set up a Democratic government is not a civilized trait. Censorship of news is not a civilized trait. Lying to your people is also quite uncivilized.

Perhaps if we all try hard, we as Americans and as a nation can win our own Struggle To Be Civilized.