Why Unforeseen Things Happen In Politics and War

The solemn ceremonies memorializing 9/11/01 reminds us - - and the rest of the world – that the United States of America is engaged in a war that will profoundly redirect the course of civilization.

Fields of battle were our largest city, our Capital and a Pennsylvania farm field. These were targets of a worldwide terrorist campaign to destroy the fountainhead of representative democracy.

The 3,000 innocent Americans slaughtered that day are more than were killed in the Japanese sneak attack against Pearl Harbor five decades ago.

We retaliated then by joining World War II to help destroy odious tyrannies then existing everywhere. We didn’t debate our entry, the cost or an exit strategy.

Today, we face insidious enemies again that murder peaceful citizens whose offense is creating a superior society they offer to share.

The threat, and need to resist it, seem self-evident. Yet, there are many who want peace and prosperity without risk or travail. Americans have come to believe in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, risk-free life and instant gratification.

Among wishful thinkers are those who believe you can turn tigers into vegetarians by throwing it more meat. Stupidity is a mental disorder inured to the elixir of common sense.

Desperate politicians stoke wishful thinking of voters. Read that as hysterical candidates seeking Democratic blessing to try and unseat the nation’s commander-in-chief.

One cannot fault war against terrorists who aim to destroy us piecemeal. Nonetheless, nitpickers assert their patriotism by searching for flaws in planning or completing the mission so we might correct them (drag in the U.N.) and win quicker with fewer traumas.

This for the shortest, least deadly, major war in at least the last century.

Dem candidates agree that President Bush responded correctly to 9/11 by sending troops to track down the admitted mastermind of the atrocity. BUT, say they, the president had no cause for going after other terrorists equally engaged in “holy war” against us and our allies.

According to Bush critics, he and the Joint Chiefs failed to anticipate the ferocity of postwar sabotage and assassination by al-Qaida infiltrators.

Also, Bush was unable to restore dilapidated and sabotaged infrastructure overnight.

Worst of all, he failed to lay out an “exit strategy” for either Afghanistan or Iraq after the initial battles. This shtick is getting a full workout. The assumption is that with a good exit strategy, there would be no surprises.

Former enemies would love us. Antiquated, damaged water, electric, telephone, sewage and oil pipeline systems would spring to modern efficiency within a week.

Hospitals, schools, courts, police forces, banks, and U.S. style supermarkets would be operating day-after- tomorrow. Disgruntled former army troops would be busily engaged helping children and old ladies across streets.

Grateful Iraqi exiles would whomp up an American-model Constitution within a fortnight.

Such visions are terminal wishful thinking.

There is only one exit strategy to war -- win. Thereafter, wing it. Rule of thumb for restoration of a defeated country is ten times the length of combat -- assuming a former enemy wants to be restored.

We still station about 80,000 U.S. troops in Germany -- and 37,000 in Korea -- after a half-century of nation building. We still have 3,100 military personnel in Bosnia after seven years of peace keeping. Our soldiers are still being shot to death in Afghanistan after two years of guard duty.

The present crop of Democratic presidential candidates, along with their political party, is headed for another trouncing unless a grownup can be found to take charge.

Still another example of foggy reasoning is that of U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein (don’t pretend judges aren’t politicians). He ruled -- the day before the 9/11 Anniversary -- that the deliberate crashing of jetliners into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon was a “foreseeable risk.”

Translation: airline companies have deep pockets. Ipso facto, they can be sued for deaths and damages caused by suicidal hijackers.

Thus we have a new responsibility conjured up by creative judges. To wit, any one with assets should know about, anticipate and prevent actions of evil nutcakes anywhere, anytime.

Unfortunately, most nutcakes run around without their mothers’ permissions. Some seek public office and some sit on judicial benches.

The facts of war and peace are the same: Unforeseen Nasty Things Sometimes Happen Spontaneously. There must be a bumper sticker in there somewhere.

Lindsey Williams is a Sun columnist

Williams –exit strategy

Sunday – Sept. 14, 2003

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