This is the cover letter for my new series of ten posts… How to Win the War on Terror in 10 Easy Incredibly Difficult Steps. I’m not a seer. Not a general. Haven’t even read SunTzu’s “The Art of War“. Definitely not infallible. But I’ve gotten so worked up listening to the news / talk radio in the last few months, that I felt I had to address this topic. Plus, I’m counting on the folks reading this to school me up.
I’ll share one step at a time, and build a comprehensive indexish list here as I publish each entry. Ready… Go…
First let’s get the long-term stuff started. We should have been doing this stuff for decades, but we haven’t, so we have to start now. Each of these will take a good 10 years to get in place…
This next batch is the immediate phase; tactical moves we can make right now to start making a difference…
- Step 3: Pray
- Step 4: Cast the Vision
- Step 5: Cyber Warfare
- Step 6: Marshall Law in Iraq
- Step 7: Long-Term Economic Viability at Home
- Step 8: xxx
The last two are longer-term, but they can’t be started until the previous 6 steps are taken…
- Step 9: xxx
- Step 10: xxx
My 10 steps are all pretty clear to me already, so even before I’m done posting these (one every couple days), feel free to comment on what your 10 step plan would be to get us out of this mess we’re in with the war on terror. Can’t wait for the great discussion I know this will engender.
Technorati tags: war on terror
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A few steps I can think of right now.
1. Sign Kyoto Protocol
2. Close Quantanamo Bay
3. Reaffirm our commitment to Geneva-Hague
4. Sign Incendiary weapons ban (only major power left to do so)
5. Reduce talk of pre-emptive war
All of these will make us look far less obnoxious, reduce us standing out as a target, and give recruiters far less fodder.
6. continue to encourage development of democracy and economic stability where civillians desire and are actively pursuing this. Iraq, Iran, Afganistan, Cuba, Venezuela, China, etc.
7. Reduce dependance on foreign oil.
8. Eliminate or reduce the TSA and stop creating a cloud of fear in our country, still far more likely to get struck by lighting twice in the same spot as you are to die in a terrorist attack.
9. Keep FBI going on investigating leads, colaborate with Britian and other similar agencies, but get warrants.
10. Find Osama Bin Laden, I think we know what to do next.
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Brad…
How do signing the Kyoto Protocol, closing Quantanamo Bay, signing the Incendiary Weapons ban, and talking less about “pre-emptive war” help us win the war on terror? Do you think terrorists will hate us less if we do these things?
What do you mean when you say “reaffirm our commitment to Geneva conventions”? What does this actually mean we should *do*?
*How* would you “encourage development of democracy…”?
How does the TSA have a negative impact on the war on terror?
Do you really think Osama Bin Laden is the root cause of a global threat from terrorism?
In summary, I hear a lot of “I hate Bush and his policies” in your analysis, but little else. Most of what your saying essentially points to “It’s America’s fault. If we just behaved better, then the threat of terrorism would magically evaporate.” Do you really believe that?
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“How do signing the Kyoto Protocol, closing Quantanamo Bay, signing the Incendiary Weapons ban, and talking less about “pre-emptive war” help us win the war on terror? Do you think terrorists will hate us less if we do these things?” -Absolutely, however my motivations aren’t to appease terrorists. This would help us in gaining international support, having the moral high ground, and deter people from joining these organizations.
“What do you mean when you say “reaffirm our commitment to Geneva conventions”? What does this actually mean we should *do”
-After closing Guantanamo Bay we publically state that we are committed to treating foreign prisoners with dignity and humanity as we expect of others.
“*How* would you “encourage development of democracy…”?” – Foreign policy, embargos, economic support for democratic organizations, military actions, ….
“How does the TSA have a negative impact on the war on terror?”
I look at the ridiculous rules and loss of personal freedom and think the terrorists are winning. The undercover federal marshalls are far more effective then some power-hungry dolt taking away womens cosmetics.
“Do you really think Osama Bin Laden is the root cause of a global threat from terrorism?” -NO, but he is a good start. If I saw you beat Tiger Woods at golf I would think twice about playing you.
I do hate a lot of Bush’s policy, however I don’t think this diminishes my ability to rationally advocate for reduced terrorism. I do not believe terrorism will end if we change our policies, but I do feel these changes would have a profound impact on the level of terrorism.
I do think we have antagonized people into joining terrorist organizations, but I do not think it is all our fault, and we need to pursue and stop these people.
Beside most terrorist acts in the U.S. are domestic, homegrown terrorists. Whether anarchists, phsychotics, or christian fundamentalists, or muslim fundamentalists
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I support Bush’s policy, however if he didn’t do it some one coming is going do that. Islamic terrorism they have been planned for long time. Bin Laden is just the beginning, all of us going see more and more Bin Laden all over the world. First step for us to do, we need to deal with Saudi Arabia, this country is the head of all this terrorism all over the world. we know our government they know all that, but they just think about the Oil not about the people.
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