The Futility of the Long U.S. War in the Middle East
10/06/14
Paul R. Pillar
United States ISIS, Middle East
Andrew Bacevich has done a tally
of the number of countries in the Islamic world that, since 1980, the
United States has invaded, bombed, or occupied, and in which members of
the American military have either killed or been killed. Syria has
become the 14th such country. Several of the countries have been the
scene of U.S. military operations more than once. Most of the countries
are in the Middle East, although the list also includes Afghanistan and
Pakistan in South Asia, Bosnia and Kosovo in the Balkans, and Somalia in
Africa. Probably most Americans, however much they may be aware of the
latest U.S. military foray, have little appreciation for how extensive
this list has become.
Bacevich
also notes the sorry record of accomplishment from all this lethal
activity, and gives one partial explanation: “American policymakers have
repeatedly given in to the temptation to unleash a bit of near-term
chaos, betting that longer-term order will emerge on the other end.”
This
sort of bet often is placed in response to a desire, and political
pressure, to do something about a perceived problem, with military force
being the most visible and demonstrable way to “so something.” That is
clearly a major part of the Obama administration's response to the
perceived problem of ISIS. The biggest instance of unleashing chaos in
the hope that long-term order will somehow emerge, however—the invasion
of Iraq in 2003, the operation that gave birth to ISIS under a different
name—was not a response to such pressures but instead entirely a war of
choice. It was the leading example of the Jerry Rubin school of
political-military affairs: of destroying things and then grooving on
the rubble.
Read full articlehttp://nationalinterest.org/blog/paul-pillar/the-futility-the-long-us-war-the-middle-east-11421
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