Ethiopia
Expect Westerners soon to begin criticizing Ethiopia. After all, it had enough of Somalia’s jihadists’ provocations, invaded, and let all hell break loose on the fundamentalists. Such a “simplistic” or “disproportionate” use of force isn’t supposed to work against radical Islam—and shouldn’t be tried, as we were lectured during first Fallujah and the Israeli efforts in Lebanon. So expect the liberal world to decry excesses on the part of the Ethiopians—all, except the Russians, who did something similar, albeit to a much more brutal degree, in Chechnya.
The Western Veneer
One common complaint against the West is that it is egocentric. In one sense that charge is surely true: we automatically assume that others, who dress like us, or enjoy our technology and entertainment, must naturally admire and wish to be Westerners.
In February 2003 CBS anchorman Dan Rather flew to Baghdad to do a one-hour interview with the mass-murdering Saddam Hussein. By the nature of his obsequious questions, and compliments on Saddam’s then recent 100% margin of election victory, he seemed to think the smiling Saddam was about like an American politician.
Rather apparently did not connect the murderer of thousands of Shiites and Kurds with the smartly dressed “President” hitting his softball questions in royal splendor. And about the same time, Saddam’s Foreign Minister, Tariq Aziz, chatted on “Good Morning America.” Again no thought that such an articulate, Westernized “diplomat” in suit and tie could be helpful in overseeing a vast state killing machine.
More recently, Mr. Ahmadinejad, in stylish sport coat, graced Time Magazine. Apparently the intent was to show readers that such an international magazine could bridge the gap of misunderstanding between Iran and America. Why else, would the interviewer Scott Macleod fail to ask why Ahmadinejad threatened to wipe out Israel, whey he believed the Holocaust was fabricated, and why he trained terrorists to kill Americans in Iraq?
But, of course, to press a psychopath, would not only be undiplomatic (and dangerous), but suggest that there is very little that Time or any other Westerners could do to convince Ahmadinejad to temper radical Islamic fascism.
In the era of globalization where instantaneous mass communications can produce the veneer of sameness, there is this danger in thinking fashion, shared appetites of consumer goods, or knowledge of pop culture have made us into a global village. But the truth is that for all their sport coats and media savvy interviews, a Saddam Hussein or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are (were, in the case of Saddam) monsters from another age, who the more they talked to an obsequious Dan Rather or Scott Macleod, the more contempt they harbored for the notion of Western liberality in general.
In fact, there is a long tradition of foreign authoritarians hating America the more they got to know it. We feel we can seduce almost anyone with our material generosity, our openness, and or notions of radical equality. But for the authoritarian mind, that openness just as often comes across as corruption and decadence.
Carnivores in Suits
Remember that many of the 9/11 terrorist murderers had lived for long periods in the United States—dressing, talking, and entertaining themselves like Americans, as they despised the very culture they apparently enjoyed.
The father of the Muslim Brotherhood, Sayyid Qutb, developed much of his hatred of Western culture—Jazz, informality between the sexes, casual dress—through his residence in the United States. The Third Reich recruited terrorists to attack Americans from those Germans who grew up in the States.
Those imperial Japanese generals and diplomats who fought the most fiercely against the Untied States— Admiral Yamamoto, the architect of Pearl Harbor, General Kuribayashi of Iwo Jima infamy, and the pro-Nazi Foreign Minister Matsuoka—were precisely those who had lived in the United States and attended its universities.
In this regard, would it not be wise for a variety of reasons, and until this war is over, not to let thousands into the United States from the Middle East? They may well end up hating us more, not less; and they may think there is to be no penalty for the extremism of their governments. I’d like to see fast track admission for allies like the Poles, British, or Danes, and no-track for the Pakistanis, Saudis, Syrians, or Egyptians.
Impressions Are Everything
Not long ago I visited a tank museum—and was dumfounded at seeing up close the German panzers (Pz.Kpfw. I-III) that entered Poland in 1939 and France the following year. At this early juncture in the war, these light-weight, under-armed and poorly protected tanks were no better and often worse than comparable allied designs on display. We seem to have believed the Nazis were an unstoppable juggernaut in the late 1930s. But the German force that invaded France in 1940 was no better equipped and no larger than the combined opposing armies of France, Britain, Holland, and Belgium—even though offensive troops usually require a 3-1 margin for success. In short, neither Nazi numbers nor equipment ensured a German victory; lack of allied will did. A valuable lesson in these times.
Before Bush?
Has George Bush really crossed the line between Church and State? Jimmy Carter ran as an evangelical Christian who liked to be filmed teaching Bible class. Ronald Reagan, it seemed, could not give a speech without evoking God. The Reverend Jesse Jackson was a frequent spiritual advisor to Bill Clinton who often sounded like a gospel speaker when he visited Black churches.
Was the 2006 election a repudiation of Bush? In some sense yes, but that mid-year rebuke too is commonplace. In fact, in 1986 Ronald Reagan lost the Senate. In 1994 Bill Clinton lost control of the House and the Senate
But are things that different abroad? Did George Bush usher in an unprecedented anti-Americanism worldwide?
During the 1973 Yom Kippur war our NATO “allies” denied Americans airspace for resupplying Israel, but let the supposed common Soviet enemy fly over their countries to aid the Arab attackers.
I recall that “Death to America” and “The Great Satan” made their debut during the Iranian hostage crisis when Jimmy Carter was routinely burned in effigy. “Cowboy” and worse slurs started in earnest with Ronald Reagan who scared Europeans silly when he sent Pershing missiles to Europe to counteract Soviet tactical nukes pointed at NATO troops. When visiting Athens after the Kosovo and Bosnia bombings, I remember almost elemental hatred voiced against Bill Clinton and Madeline Albright for bombing a kindred Balkan Orthodox nation.
And did Bush invent “unilateralism” and forgo the old “multilateral” American approach? Ronald Reagan bombed Libya without much consultation. George Bush Sr. took out Manuel Noriega without much worry what Europe or Latin America thought. Bill Clinton skipped both the US Congress and the United Nations to bomb Slobodan Milosevic in Serbia.
The point of these comparisons is not to defend the administration of George Bush, but to understand why he evokes such inordinate criticism.
Two answers come to mind. First, unlike a Reagan or Clinton, Bush finds public speaking and public give-and-take awkward. Second, of course, is Iraq. Under Reagan, Bush, and Clinton there was a consistency about US military action in the Middle East. It was not predicated necessarily on solving problems or seeking long-term solutions, but involved a sort of containment. Hence we left Lebanon after the 1983 Marine Bombings. We fled Somalia not long after ‘Black-Hawk Down’ fiasco. Few believed that bombing Qaddafi as Reagan did in 1986, or sending missiles into a pharmaceutical factory as did Bill Clinton would change the global dynamic of terrorism.
Instead our directive was not to confront any enemy that might involve real American losses, and treat symptoms, not causes of Middle East terrorism through cruise missiles, GPS bombs, and federal indictments.
Bush changed that after going into Afghanistan and Iraq, spending American blood and treasure to establish democracies that might provide an alternative between Islamic fundamentalism and dictatorship. In other words, a President who lacked the rhetorical flair of either a Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton sought to wage a tough war that demanded constant exegesis and public explanation. Hence we see him more as a hated Truman in 1952 than a beloved FDR in 1945. That being said, by risking so much, Bush can not only lose everything, but win as well—if the governments in Afghanistan and Iraq stabilize and prove hostile to the jihadists.
The Mystery of Modern Greece
I confess I often don’t understand modern Greece, despite having lived there for over two years, and visiting nearly every other summer for the last twenty years. On the one hand, fears of radical Islam are voiced constantly—but only in two contexts: historical grievances against the Muslim Turks for their atrocities, both ancient and inside Greece and Ionia, and more recently in Cyprus; and, second, modern anger that the West bombed an Orthodox Balkan Milosevic to save Muslim Kosovars and Albanians.
On the other hand, that furor at Islam does not translate into support for either Israeli or American efforts to stop jihadism. Greeks deplore both countries and side more often with radical Islamists of the Middle East, either in fear of oil cut-offs, contemporary terrorism, or due simply to the convenience of easy-chair slandering of America and its friends. And worse still, all this slurring is always calibrated at cresting precisely at the point an angry America might pack it up, leaving the Eastern Mediterranean and its base in Chania, and letting the Greeks deal with the Balkans, the Turks, and the nearby jihadists on their own. Mention that and suddenly you are lectured that you are overly sensitive and reductionist.
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20 Comments
Chris H:German tanks in 1939/1940 weren’t any better but their organisation and tactics were far superior. Try reading Heinz Guderian’s ‘Achtung Panzer’.
Dec 30, 2006 - 3:53 pm amr:As to Ethiopia; the NGO’s discovered Friday, I believe, that the Ethiopia government is practicing genocide against a tribe within their borders. Strange that in all of my perusing of the media, Internet and blogs over the years, I had never heard about this genocide. I also don’t remember it being reported by the UN. Ah, I get it, the Ethiopians are now an ally of ours in the WOT. And notice how they were supposed to be defeated as we were reported to have been in 1993. They refused to follow the MSM script, so now that they were successful they are in deep trouble with the media. I bet that they didn’t use proportionality and correct ROE, just like the Israelis and the US. Only they are much worse having been trained by those Devil Dog Marines. Another success, as in Libya, that cost no American lives and that President Bush will receive no positive credit for it by the Left and the media
Dec 30, 2006 - 6:38 pm Dean:Dr Hanson says
“Mention that and suddenly you are lectured that you are overly sensitive and reductionist.”
That’s if you’re lucky. The more likely (populist/popular) argument might be that Greeks have nothing to fear from modern Muslims or would have nothing to fear if the west wouldn’t incite them. I am a Cypriot and am almost always ashamed of my fellow Greeks’ opinion vis-a-vis US foreign policy.
The only explanation I have been able to find is that the Greeks have never been offered an alliance against those of the West’s enemies with which they share borders; how could they when the West/US considers it a good idea to implant a couple of Muslim countries in the Balkans and to treat Turkey as a kind of super-ally? Not to mention the occupation of Cyprus.
Nevertheless, this is a weak explanation and certainly not an excuse for the paradox you describe. Greeks should be unabashed defenders of the West and preachers of western values to neighboring Islamists.
I know they’ll come out of that leftist stupor. But it’ll have to wait until the generations of the 60s and 70s get out of the way.
Happy 2007 to you Dr Hanson!
Dec 30, 2006 - 9:18 pm Durst:I agree that we should take a closer look at those we allow to come to the U.S.A. It might not be quite as big of an issue if we did a better job of assimilating our immigrants, but as your World War 2 comment makes clear, there will always be bad apples. The downside of restricting immigration from the Muslim world would be that their might be less men like John Abizaid in the future. Men who can put a face with the idea of moderate, America-loving Islam. Having said all that, the real problem is Westerners who are converting to Islam, and could carry out a terrorist attack with about as much scrutiny as any other 25 year old, white, English-speaking male. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t consider all possible vulnerabilities in this war.
Great article as always, Dr. Hanson.
Dec 30, 2006 - 9:58 pm Bill Bradley:Prediction: There will be little criticism of Ethiopia.
Sorry, Victor, that won’t happen.
Dec 30, 2006 - 10:17 pm Thomas Leak:One of the most important steps we can take in this war is to deny Saudis etc. visas. These are third world countries. Corruption and favortism rule. They know who they allow to come to the U.S. The Egyptians, for example, are hardly about to let sons, much less daughters, of dissidents study here. Until the elites pay a price for their support of radical Islam, they won’t stop supporting it. Right now, the only threat they feel is from Islamists in their own countries. We’re not a threat. We don’t even impose burdens. So we’re safely ignored. And they continue funding hatred of infidels, Jews and America.
Dec 31, 2006 - 4:42 am gordo:Methinks that Ethiopia won’t be criticized because the U.S. is not involved. The Greeks generally dislike the U.S. because they feel that we are the only real threat to their nice sunny, subsidized lifestyle. If we would only calm down then everyone will play nice
Dec 31, 2006 - 10:42 am Harvey:It always amazes me (makes me sad and angry at the same time) that those countries that have thousands of American troops inside their borders are the most vocal about being anti-American. If we were to pull those troops out of their countries and send them where they are really needed (like Iraq) then we would be doing ourselves a favor. Of course you would then hear cries from those countries about economic hardships (American troops spend lots of money in their host countries). To quote Michelle Malkin ‘Bo Freak in Ho’.
Dec 31, 2006 - 11:15 am Clark:Ellada can be viewed in the framework of the worldwide dialectic between government and personal responsibility.
In this uneven stuggle, the latter faces long odds and seldom prevails for long periods of history.
As usual, Ellada presents an acute manifestation of this conflict. The national debt was beyond control before monetary union, and is only growing more critical, since being denominated in a currency at whose mercy it now exists.
One reason for this unequal match is that in order to contend with government, personal responsiblity requires functional and responsible institutions , which gestate slowly but can be quickly damaged or rendered useless.
Ellada’s failings have much to do with those of its institutions. The Greek Church for example partakes of the problems of all Christian churches today. The Greek theatre is a more likely place to see Pinter, Garcia Lorca, or Tennessee Williams than one representing the many centuries of Hellenic art.
I regret to say that it will get worse, probably a lot worse, before it gets better.
To end with the positive, one institution which has a living future is popular music. Unlike pop music in English speaking countries, words are still an important part of song in Ellada and Italia. In the latter, a latin rhthym is joined to language often subtle and evocative. In the former, ancient rhthyms can often be heard through electronic instrumentation, or sometimes still the more traditional instruments, and the words serve to convey the will of the people. Young talented artists abound, probably nowhere else more per capita than in Ellada.
I conclude with a few lines sung in a current hit by Xryspa
Τώρα οι άντρες οι σκληροί και αισθηματίες
υπάρχουν μόνο στις ασπρόμαυρες ταινίες
This is not the beau ideal promulgated by contemporary media.
Dec 31, 2006 - 11:28 am J.S.:I agree with most of what you write. The one exception is with your notion of fast-tracking immigrants from Britain. I am assuming that such a notion is predicated on the belief that immigrants from Britain are pro-western or anti-jihadist. To be honest, I do not believe this is the case. I think the majority are extremely anti-American, anti-western and pro-jihadist. Simply consult the opinion polls, or pick up The Guardian and you will discover for yourself a strain of anti-western loathing which is quite remarkable. A courageous Britain of the 1940s (the Winston Churchill) variety no longer exists.
Dec 31, 2006 - 4:14 pm Judith:” We feel we can seduce almost anyone with our material generosity, our openness, and or notions of radical equality. But for the authoritarian mind, that openness just as often comes across as corruption and decadence.”
Wonder if that also applies to the “Arab street” in general. Erroneously, too much of our Middle East policy is defined by the level of offense or approval perceived by the Arab street. Yet, we’re still waiting for the gratitude. After all, the US Army sacrificed its soldiers for the Muslims as it liberated 50 million Muslims in Iraq & Afghanistan, & fought their enemies in Bosnia, Kosovo, Somalia & Kuwait. Let’s also not forget the billions we give Egypt & millions granted to the Palestinians only to be thanked w/ “Death to America” vitriol. It’s indeed rare to hear about Iraqi gratitude for our presence there today. Rather, it appears the Iraqi people are shrewdly & patiently accepting our gifts of blood, money & regime change as they form a government that combines Sharia law & capitalism that honors & promotes an anti-American Pan-Arab Islam over any pro-Western democracy. Kind’a makes you feel used.
Dec 31, 2006 - 7:49 pm Terry Crane:US made a historic mistake by defending Europe against Soviet invasion. As a result, their Western identity is not hard-earned. Just compare Poland with France.
I guess the root of this mistake was in the lack of true believe in the superiority of the Capitallism and advanced Democracy. Coming from the USSR, I believe absolutely that a USSR invasion of Germany and France in 60s or 70s would result in a collapse of USSR within less then a decade. Not sure any American can see that.
Dec 31, 2006 - 9:25 pm NahnCee:I know that for some years (maybe decades) it has been the practice for “elites” in the Middle East to ship their brood mare wives to the United States to give birth. Therefore, you’ve got a whole (elite) class of American-born Muslims lurking in the Middle East.
Be interesting to know just how many Muslims have been born in America and then returned home to have their teeny-tiny reptilian brains washed by the local hate-spewing clerics.
And do we *have* to let them back in again if they choose to return or immigrate.
Jan 1, 2007 - 10:19 am Steve MacDonald:As we have come to expect, brilliant. There are only two things I would add.
Jan 2, 2007 - 6:12 am merkur:1. I would include a number of SE Asian countries in the fast track list. Negligible cost of assymilation + terrific & proven contribution.
2. I have heard the argument ad nauseum but do not understand the logic behind the anti-America argument. I have lived most of my 56 years abroad and have never experienced anything else but anti Americanism against USA Govt. policy - although never towards individual Americans, with the exception of Guallist France in the 60’s. I don´t see the relevance of this point. It is not as if the UN, EU or the “Global Community” is ever going to join hands with us on anything.
Amr:
I assume that you’re referring to the situation in Ogaden, although I’m not sure that there have been many substantial claims that it’s a genocide. If you’re referring to another area of Ethiopia, then please forgive my mistake.
NGOs have been reporting consistently on Ethiopia, including Ogaden. As a starter, you might want to check the websites of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch; The ICRC has a delegation of nearly 500 in Ethiopia, which is a mission of fair size. All have been campaigning to improve human rights in Ethiopia for many years now, including the Red Cross training the Ethiopian armies - one of the best armies in Africa - in the Geneva Conventions.
I’m not quite sure what you think President Bush deserves credit for - the Ethiopian army? Ethiopia pretty much does what it wants to do, and has been nervous about Somalia for many years.
Jan 2, 2007 - 6:15 am dan wismar:Off topic somewhat, but do recall that Jesse Jackson was retained as Clinton’s “spiritual advisor” only after he confronted the Clintons when some black community leaders started asking questions about the 45 caliber bullet-shaped hole in the skull of Commerce Secretary Ron Brown after he died in the plane crash in eastern Europe along with 30-some others on the trade mission. Clinton co-opted Jackson, and the Ron Brown controversy was not heard about thereafter.
Jan 2, 2007 - 12:37 pm David Emami:Minor quibble with your comment about the relative quality of WW2 German vs. Allied tanks: one important edge the Germans had was that most of their tanks were radio-equipped whereas most of the Allied tanks were (during the invasion of France) not. That had major implications for command & control.
Jan 2, 2007 - 1:24 pm Patrick Crozier:Did the French really lack a stomach for the fight in 1940? Did it matter?
My understanding is that where and when they could fight they did so. It was just that they had no response to the Germans’ tactics.
Jan 2, 2007 - 5:25 pm gs:In this regard, would it not be wise for a variety of reasons, and until this war is over, not to let thousands into the United States from the Middle East? They may well end up hating us more, not less; and they may think there is to be no penalty for the extremism of their governments.
Instead we have this:
Jan 2, 2007 - 6:01 pm Eric Smith:Yes! It would “be wise for a variety of reasons, and until this war is over, not to let thousands into the United States from the Middle East? They may well end up hating us more, not less; and they may think there is to be no penalty for the extremism of their governments. I’d like to see fast track admission for allies like the Poles, British, or Danes, and no-track for the Pakistanis, Saudis, Syrians, or Egyptians.”
I agree whole heartedly.
Nicely done sir.
Jan 3, 2007 - 1:23 pm