Relearning Lessons in the War on Terror

realclearpolitics ^ | August 24, 2006 | Victor Davis Hanson

[ncountylee]

From the recent Israel-Hezbollah war in southern Lebanon to the jihadists in Iraq's Sunni Triangle to the repeated efforts by Islamists across the globe to trump Sept. 11, what old lessons about terrorism are we in the West finding ourselves having to relearn?

First, death is the mantra of terrorists. In urban landscapes, they hide among apartment buildings, use human shields and welcome all fatalities - friendly or hostile, combatant or civilian. Death of any kind, they think, makes the liberal West recoil, but allows them to pose as oppressed victims.

Their nihilistic hatred intimidates, rather than repels, third parties - whether "moderate" Arabs, Europeans who back off from peacekeeping in Lebanon, or the Western public at large. Our enemies call Jews "pigs" and "apes" and employ racist caricatures of the U.S.'s African-American secretary of state. Meanwhile, we worry about incurring charges of "Islamophobia," when we should be stressing our liberal values and unabashedly contrasting Western civilization with the 7th-century barbarism of the jihadists.

Second, windfall petrol-dollar profits (now around $500 billion annually) financially fuel radical Islam. Iranian cash allowed Hezbollah to acquire the sophisticated weaponry needed to achieve parity in ambushes with the Israeli Defense Forces. Unless the U.S. can find a way to force oil prices back down below $40 a barrel, Islamists may eventually be better equipped with weapons they buy than we are with munitions we make.

Third, as Israel's experience in Lebanon demonstrated, air power alone can never defeat terrorists. Precision bombing is a tempting option for Westerners since it ensures few if any of our own casualties. But jihadists, through the use of human shields and biased photographers, are able to portray guided weapons as being as indiscriminate as carpet-bombing.

Fourth, the use of old shoot-and-scoot missiles - Katyushas, Qassams and worse to come

[ncountylee]

But unless we in the West adapt more quickly than do canny Islamic terrorists in this constantly evolving war, cease our internecine fighting and stop forgetting what we've learned about our enemies - there will be disasters to come far worse than Sept. 11.

No argument from me.

[Andy from Beaverton]

Third, as Israel's experience in Lebanon demonstrated, air power alone can never defeat terrorists.

It could never defeat the Serb's either. It took NATO coordinating and giving intelligence to the terrorist KLA to force the Serbs to the bargaining table.

[misterrob]

Four your list I believe

[Eagle74]

I am becoming impatient also, but we should remember that we have had a lot on our plate with Afghanistan, and Iraq. I didn't agree with Bush when he punted the Iranian problem to the EU, as I thought it was a waste of time. But what do I care about the EU's time. But now I think we can deal with Iran, our bombers aren't doing anything, and our navy could use some action or they are going to get all whinny.

[volunbeer]

Good luck on ever getting the left in this country to realize that this is a war to the death.... they want to talk them to death and would probably still be talking when their heads were cut off.

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

"But unless we in the West adapt more quickly than do canny Islamic terrorists in this constantly evolving war, cease our internecine fighting and stop forgetting what we've learned about our enemies - there will be disasters to come far worse than Sept. 11."

I am not optimistic about the future especially with regard to our options with Iran. Let's see, given my age I guess I have about 20 years left. Maybe I will not have to see the worst of it. Maybe. I am glad I don't have kids.

[SJackson]

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[Tolik]

...Despite the enormous advantages of Western militaries, there is no guarantee we can keep ahead of terrorists - especially since they are becoming more adept while we seem tired and unsure about whom, why and how we should fight.

So far, the U.S. has been able to dodge the latest terrorist bullets. So far, Afghanistan and Iraq are clinging to their newfound democracies. So far, Israel has been able to survive Hamas and Hezbollah, and these groups' state sponsors in Iran and Syria.

But unless we in the West adapt more quickly than do canny Islamic terrorists in this constantly evolving war, cease our internecine fighting and stop forgetting what we've learned about our enemies - there will be disasters to come far worse than Sept. 11.

Nailed It! Moral Clarity BUMP ! This ping list is not author-specific for articles I'd like to share. Some for the perfect moral clarity, some for provocative thoughts; or simply interesting articles I'd hate to miss myself. (I don't have to agree with the author all 100% to feel the need to share an article.) I will try not to abuse the ping list and not to annoy you too much, but on some days there is more of the good stuff that is worthy of attention. You can see the list of articles I pinged to lately  on  my page. You are welcome in or out, just freepmail me (and note which PING list you are talking about). Besides this one, I keep 2 separate PING lists for my favorite authors Victor Davis Hanson and Orson Scott Card.

Victor Davis Hanson Ping !         Let me know if you want in or out. Links: FR Index of his articles:  http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=victordavishanson  His website: http://victorhanson.com/     NRO archive: http://www.nationalreview.com/hanson/hanson-archive.asp

[Tolik]

Thank you

[MizSterious]

"Nailed it" is right! This is something that should be required reading everywhere, especially by our politicians, but also every voter.

[Esther Ruth]

Good luck on ever getting the left in this country to realize that this is a war to the death.... they want to talk them to death and would probably still be talking when their heads were cut off.

***
Oh my goodness, what a visual. I think you are right.

[Valin]

But unless we in the West adapt more quickly than do canny Islamic terrorists in this constantly evolving war, cease our internecine fighting and stop forgetting what we've learned about our enemies - there will be disasters to come far worse than Sept. 11.

The problem is way to many people don't really believe there is a war. And some who do, misidentify the enemy, or advocate the worng strategy for fighting it.

[yoe]

"...there is no guarantee we can keep ahead of terrorists - especially since they are becoming more adept while we seem tired and unsure about whom, why and how we should fight.

Ask any Sheriff, National Guard, Minuteman, or Border Patrol in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, or California.....many OTMs have been crossing daily for years - the enemy is here; the Mexican Drug Cartel is here; Hezbollah is here; and many in leadership continue to block the efforts to find and deport these illegal aliens. For now the MSM and Political Correctness are their preferred weapons....and the Congress does nothing......

[humint]

VDH: Despite the enormous advantages of Western militaries, there is no guarantee we can keep ahead of terrorists - especially since they are becoming more adept while we seem tired and unsure about whom, why and how we should fight. So far, the U.S. has been able to dodge the latest terrorist bullets. So far, Afghanistan and Iraq are clinging to their newfound democracies. So far, Israel has been able to survive Hamas and Hezbollah, and these groups' state sponsors in Iran and Syria. But unless we in the West adapt more quickly than do canny Islamic terrorists in this constantly evolving war, cease our internecine fighting and stop forgetting what we've learned about our enemies - there will be disasters to come far worse than Sept. 11.

Great Post --- I think VDH and our Sec Def are on the same page. I also think both are brilliant. Check out this excerpt from an AUG22 interview with Rumsfeld.

SECRETARY RUMSFELD: Are the madrassas producing more terrorists? These extreme radical madrassas, are they producing more terrorists every week or month than we're able to capture or kill?

And I don't know the answer, and I don't think anyone knows the answer to that. But it is a fair question, it seems to me. I asked that back in 2003, I believe. And what I was trying to point out to the people in the Department of Defense was that there's a tendency when you call this a global war on terror to think of it as a war of big militaries -- armies, navies, and air forces -- against armies, navies and air forces, and it is not. It is a totally different thing, and it is not something that the Army is going to be able to prevail and -- or the Navy and have a signing ceremony on the USS Missouri at the end of World War II. It is going to be something that's going to take time. It's going to be a long struggle. It's a struggle basically within the Muslim faith of a small minority of violent extremists against the overwhelming majority of Muslims who are not violent extremists, and we need to find ways to empower and strengthen those moderates who are determined to not have their faith hijacked by these violent extremists.

[Eagle74]

I definitely think we are already working that crease with our placing democracy in Iraq. We still need to fight the terrorists on the battle field. The strategic way to do this is to cut off their funding. It has been well known for centuries that for a guerrilla force to function it must have 3 things.
1. Local support (for mundane supplies like food and for intelligence on the enemy)
2. A safe area where they can rest, train, and rearm.
3. And funding
Using the Sadr militia as an example: It's likely we can do little about the local support, the Iraqi army is more likely to make inroads than we are. Nor can we do much about them going to Iran to rest, train, and rearm. It is only the funding we can do much about and there we can seriously cripple them. Without oil the Iranians would be on foot and in the dark. They wouldn't have enough for themselves and so would have nothing for Sadr's militia.

[Eagle74]

The fact that the left is insane, does not relieve us from the resposiblity to attempt to do what needs to be done. The great thing about America is that we generally do find a way to do what needs to be done.

"Good luck on ever getting the left in this country to realize that this is a war to the death.... they want to talk them to death and would probably still be talking when their heads were cut off."

[volunbeer]

I agree and there are lots of people trying to do the right thing. Sadly, it is made more difficult by the cut and run crowd.

[ChadGore]

It would appear to me that todays democrat party, in it's entirety, is unwilling to acknowledge these 3 very simple facts:

---

1) Afghanistan was a military victory. (2002)

2) Iraq was a military victory. (2003)

3) They are both part of the War On Terror.

---

They've had more than 3 years to bring themselves around to accept to themselves, and pay forward to others, the fact that our military has delivered two successive decisive victories.

All of the left wing machinations flow from this deep aversion to victory. So enthralled are they with failure, that they would set aside our defeat of the world 4th largest military in Iraq as something that hasn't happened yet.

[Gator113]

I have less time than you have (age and health issues). I have 2 kids (adults now) and 6 grandchildren.

I want these germs removed from the planet before I meet my maker. Heck, I want their entire DNA removed. I want them, all of them, each and every one of them, more extinct than the dinosaurs.