Chances are this statement will incite at least a few people
into piping hot anger. People who are convinced that those
nasty suicide bombers can be wiped out and the free world
can be made safe for all of eternity. Chances are also good
that these people own several bibles, go to church, and believe
their God is better then the other guy's God. But for the
rest of us that can look at things slightly more rationally,
this is an important concept to get around.
The reason terrorism cannot be wiped out is fairly simple.
It's not because they're smarter, more resourceful, more determined,
or any of that rot. It's not because of weapons, diseases,
or any other sort of nastiness that slips into their hands.
It's quite simply because since the dawn of recorded history
if there's one thing humanity has shown it's that:
A) Some of us really really really like killing people,
B) We're pretty good at it, and
C) It's more satisfying to kill someone you think is giving
you the shaft.
Even if the United States and other rich countries were to
go to the farthest lengths possible to help out the supposed
victim nations of the world, and opened the arms with brotherly
hospitality, there would still be that unfortunate group of
nutballs out there who feel the need to continue their campaign
against the "Great Satan". Much like how you can still find
neo-nazis, communists, and Michael Bolton fans, these whack-jobs
are most likely going to stay in at least a limited number.
And no matter how high your walls are, how many missiles you
have pointed at their hometowns, and how many cups of starbucks
coffee you drink to stay awake so that sneaky suicide bomber
doesn't get the jump on you, once in a while something is
going to slip through, because no matter how much we like
to flatter ourselves, we aren't perfect.
That being said, we obviously shouldn't just throw in the
towel. No one wants one of those lunatics getting hold of
a nuclear weapon or smallpox, and while I'm sure there are
a hell of a lot of resources going into avoiding such a situation,
things like this really should be top priority. We could probably
also stand to stop raping countries for their oil but I'll
leave that nugget for another day.
What really bothers me about the whole "war on terrorism"
is how it has become more about politics than about our safety.
Politicians use it like a tool to justify their own agendas.
The United States is largely involved in this, but other nations
are guilty of doing the same thing on the global stage. France
and Germany come to mind as frontrunners in this department.
The current German Chancellor (Schroder or something like
that, I know how it sounds but can't remember how it's spelled)
got elected by adopting a hugely anti-american view before
the elections in Germany. Likewise French leader Jacques Chirac
has been using anti-americanism to bolster France's power
on the international stage. In terms of economic and military
power, France has long since fallen from the top spot, but
Chirac is grasping desperately at appearing "morally superior"
to the US and its allies, and is enjoying the influence that
France seems to gain because they happen to go against the
US. Perhaps the greatest crime in this is that both the US
and France view each other as adversaries and are less likely
to agree on things which prior to the Iraq debacle they might
have seen eye to eye on. As if the United Nations wasn't irrelevant
enough as is, it's nice to see two nations with veto power
so polarized.
Before I sound like I'm singling out the French too much,
I'll turn the focus back on the US briefly. I personally am
in no position to condemn the war on Iraq. Initially I had
been in favor of it, but as the months dragged on before any
attack, I figured by that time Saddam, if he did have weapons,
had had more then enough time to get rid of them. Also my
inclination towards attacking Iraq predated September 11,
as I had long thought it ridiculous that Iraq had never been
fully inspected after the first Gulf War. Putting that aside,
at the actual time of the invasion I was basically fence sitting,
unsure of whether the war was a good idea or not. But regardless
of anyone's motives for being for or against the war, the
Bush Administration fucked up in regards to the post-war situation.
Hell, Afganistan is still a mess, Iraq is a catastrophe. At
some point someone is going to have to admit that shit has
been hitting the fan for a while in Iraq, and there obviously
needs to be a change in how it's being handled. Unfortunately,
getting back to my earlier issue about manipulating the war
on terrorism, Bush seems content to continue drawing on the
fears and insecurities of people to try to distract from the
men that are coming home in body bags. I believe that Bush
thought there was a threat in Iraq, but I also believe he
had more than that on his agenda and mislead the public by
focusing on the elements of fear and uncertainty in the fight
against terrorism.
Battling terrorism is going to take more than spies, soldiers,
and a whole lot of security measures. It's going to take a
careful review of what actions are hoenstly going towards
fighting terrorism, and which are being thrown in under the
guise of doing so. It's also going to take a prioritizing
of concerns. We can't stop everything, so make sure they don't
throw any hail maries and keep them to short gains at best.
North Korea is developing nuclear weapons, people are alarmed,
but not nearly half as much as they should be. If you haven't
noticed, Kim Jong Il is a nutcase, not quite right in the
head, insane. Pick your term and slap it on his forehead.
Patriotism and unwavering vigilance were an understandable
and perhaps necessary measure right after 9/11, but now there
is a desperate need for rational thought and honesty in how
we want to shape the world of tomorrow.
On a different note about suicide bombers, I'd like to touch
on a point Dennis Miller made in one of his stand up routines.
These guys are getting something like sixty-six virgins when
they die or what not. Now this is all well and good at first,
but as Miller points out, after the seventh or eighth, fuck
it, I want a professional. Makes you think, doesn't it.
-Ritz
