This is ridiculous

There is a great quote often attributed to Plato that says, “Only the dead have seen the end of war.” This is a wonderfully pithy statement. We can say with historical certainty that war has been a perennial feature of the human condition. Whether man is predisposed to war is another matter, but, taken on evidence, we can say that he is definitely inclined to it, for whatever reason. You may not like this. Nevertheless, the fact remains. The West may be better at war than the rest, but I’m sure there are plenty out in the world who would like to close the gap. With your help they may just do that.

It is also specious reasoning to blame all war, or the existence of war, on the West. Surely you don’t believe that. Other civilizations have fought tremendous wars with little to no interference by the West. Even to blame all recent wars on the West is a dubious matter. Japan’s attack on China or the US was non-Western, in the strictest sense. To blame that aggressiveness as a byproduct of Western imperialism is to walk the dog of proximate guilt too far.

But let us pursue your line of reasoning. The West is to blame for all current war. Therefore, the attack of 9/11 is essentially our own fault. We are unjustified in doing anything about it. Or, to be fairer, I will ask: what are we justified in doing, precisely? Anything? You’ve already identified the problem with throwing out the broad rubric of “defense.”

The really harmful thing about this line of thought, which is amazingly prevalent despite its suicidal connotations, is that it makes everyone else in the world a victim. Only the West is to blame for all problems. The barbarism of the terrorist is a completely understandable response to the “evil” of European civilization. In what way did the US or the West force millionaire Osama bin Laden to “feel cornered?” The West freed much of the Arab world from Ottoman rule, has pumped billions of dollars into their economies despite their fiery hateful rhetoric, and has showed remarkable restraint in dealing with these peoples, yet we receive in turn death and more hate. Which culture is exporting violence, I wonder?

You are in fact correct that moral people hate war. Of course that is true, but I also hate taxes, however these things are still necessary. When faced with kill or be killed, I choose the former. You may roll over and try to “improve our view of each another” but that will get you exactly one place – dead. The flighty, utopian dreams of a harmonious world are exactly that, dreams. War is a permanent fixture in the annals of mankind. There is no reason to believe that it can be escaped. To broach such reasoning only leaves a civilization open for destruction. The Mongols, the Huns, or the Cimbri Horde were all perfectly willing to accept the pacifism of their quarry. It makes stacking the skulls of your prey that much easier.

A quick survey of history confounds the claim that men are primarily good and prone to peace. Peace throughout time has been aberration basically because it implies the tacit acceptance of everyone to do nothing. Once one party breaks the silence all else are compelled to respond or die. Good in the world is precious, wonderful and desperately rare. Mother Teresa was acclaimed as the exception, not the rule.

But this doesn’t matter because we still have to deal with the inane idea that competition, especially in the market place, is somehow the height of evil. The world has experimented with the opposite course. Russia and China can probably tell you something about the results. Communism killed close to 100 million people in the 20th century. Capitalism, by contrast, cannot boast such impressive numbers. And you would have us revisit such Marxist ideologies? Have you ever been to Cuba? Do you know how many people every day attempt to escape such “utopias” and boat, swim, or drown with the chance to arrive at our land of evil competition? Thousands. You don’t see flocks of “pressured westerners” swimming to Cuba or immigrating to China to escape the “stupid, competitive, and greed driven way of life that threatens their wellbeing, and even the survival of the species.”

The fact that some do not compete well in this world is hardly just cause for them to lash out and slaughter people in high rise buildings, but you would make these villains unwitting pawns compelled to enact these crimes by the terrible West. This victimization of the world is awful and must stop. At some point someone on this planet needs to take responsibility for the things they do.

Let us continue. Your view of the military is also unrealistic. What soldier ever in the history of war pursued “understanding” over victory? You will be hard-pressed to find him. If you are speaking, once again, about misguided fantasies of a better world I might understand this statement. Reality says otherwise. The nebulous notion of “understanding” doesn’t appeal to the soldier. It never has. Soldiers fight to win or for each other. Risking one’s life for “understanding” is liberal mythology run amuck. To say that a soldier’s primary duty is to “peace and prosperity for all” is also insanity. That rubric would be news to any soldier alive today or to any soldier that has ever lived.

War is real. Terrorism is real. The danger posed to a weak civilization is real and demonstrable by history. Everything you have mentioned is mere illusion. Your notion of progress and the eventual triumph of peace is a pleasant fiction never experienced by man and lacking the reasonable surety of success. The application of violent force is always lamented, as it should be, but preparation for its eventual need must be a priority of any people wishing to survive in a harsh world. Come down from the clouds and face the reality of the world you live in. The attempt to style the actual world as “ridiculous” comes across as bad comedy.

On a side note, I would like to encourage you to register on this site. O-Nerd, thus far, has been lacking your particular mode of thought. Your continued contribution would be beneficial to everyone here. I hope you would choose to shed anonymity and join the discussion in full view. Thanks.