A PHASE OF FORCE
We are currently dealing with a situation, as nation, which we have never faced before.
The reasons for our special concern are quite different from those met with in the past, hence our actions in response to them must also also be unusual.
In the past we have dealt with a visible enemy. We contended with many such enemies from time to time – the native American Indians, and the British, of course, several times. The French in the earlier days of our nation's becoming. We fought each other in our Civil War; Spain once more in the Spanish-American War , then Mexico. A major conflict was termed World War I,, when Kaiser Bill and German Imperialism upset everything; and that resulted, in time, in th rise of Adolph Hitler's threat to world order which brought a second war with Germany, Italy and a war apart with the Japanese. There was Korea and the Chinese, the North Koreans. There was Viet Nam. In our short history we have had a varied chronology of war. All, those and a number of others, as well. We have had minor skirmishes from time-to-time with petty dictators and chronic trouble-makers such as those in Cuba, Libya and various African nations. Most have been obvious enemies, real in appearance and with known objectives and methods of operation. Our military establishment has been styled to fit such needs as we have known in the past.
Suddenly much that we have is obsolete in the face o fa totally new type of warfare which does not abide by accepted rules. Mankind has taken sharp turn in uncharted regions situated beyond the bounds of reason and regulation.
Suddenly, we find ourselves in opposition to forces operating outside the usual conventions accorded international groups concerning fairness and reason. The usual methods prove to be inadequate. We are opposed and thwarted at every turn even by International tribunals formed to help reach solutions in such matters. We find ourselves opposed by ill-defined powers and forces of one type or another.
A main one is that which is called “Al Quida.”..which is the Arabic word for The Family” not unlike the Sicilian “Mafia” which also dealt in terrorist tactics. We are very much like British General Burgoyne marching against American Indians many years ago at that moment when he found that his enemy fired from concealment rather than in formal ranks. Everything had changed – suddenly - and completely The Jihad element is new to us as well ..a “holy war” which could pit us against the Islamic world.
We must have learned some lessons from the recent series of senseless murders in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. There are disturbing Muslim undercurrents therein which are going to prove to be even more puzzling as time goes on. Our enemy is unseen.
The almost inevitable conclusion insists that we must prepare for war. How? In what new ways?
How soon will it come? Who can say, for it does not follow conventional patterns. We must plan accordingly.
A.L.M. October 28, 2002 [c522wds]
