Perceptual Gulf War

America's current stance, vis-a-vis terrorism, could lead not only to the first military war of the 21st century, but also to the last, due the fact that the U.S. present policy is fatally flawed because of the perceptual gulf between America and the rest of the world and because of the didactic of militarism.

The perceptual gulf has developed, in particular, since the 1960s and the initial main point of divergence between U.S. perceptions and reality was, very probably, marked by the assassination of president John F. Kennedy in 1963. Earling Carothers "Jim" Garrison, the District Attorney for the City of New Orleans, who investigated the conspiracy to assassinate president Kennedy, declared that: "In recent years ... forces have developed in our government over which there is no control and these forces have an authoritarian approach to justice -- meaning, they will let you know what justice is". Unfortunately, this divergence did not register with the rather politically naive American electorate so that now, almost 40 years on, retributive revenge is being packaged and served up as Operation Infinite Justice!

U.S. present intimidatory "you're either with us or against us" stance, as it focuses its military might on Afghanistan, one of the most impoverished countries on this earth, will only serve to widen the perceptual gulf. The reason being that Americans, blinded by the perceived sanctimony of their "crusade", will fail to see the bullying imagery that is so poignant to many in the rest of the world, particularly Muslims.

Another indicator of the perceptual gulf is the recent Swiss poll, which shows that the overwhelming majority of Europeans and South Americans would prefer an international judicial solution rather than a military one to the present crisis, whereas in America the opposite is the case.

Inevitably the deadly technology has spread and now nations as small as Israel have a nuclear capability; but more worryingly, fanatical groups with neither nation nor populace very probably have access to them too. This asymmetry, as it is being called, means the rules of engagement in war have changed considerably because, for the first time, the enemy can be both deadly on a massive scale and elusive.

This presents another perceptual problem for America's military establishment, which no amount of bluster, bellicosity or premature claims to victory will overcome. That is that America, with its financial worldwide empire that has been traditionally reinforced by largely clandestine operations that install and buoy up compliant foreign governments, is left wholly vulnerable and at the mercy of militant fanatics to whom death is no deterrent and who may be armed with the residual arms of previous U.S. undercover operations. Thus, if America retaliates in ways that are entirely predicable and in line with past scenarios, it could well be courting more disaster and carnage in the U.S. itself and for American individuals and assets around the world.

While the military might of the Coalition Forces did win the Gulf War of ten years ago, the U.S. will only mire itself politically and militarily if it fails to recognize that what it is tackling now is primarily a Perceptual-Gulf War. To win this "war" the U.S. will need to implement complete and, for many U.S. politicians, anathematical reversals in its present foreign policy, which will necessitate worldwide phased disarmament and massive concomitant economic adjustments, a global judicial system and unprecedented global cooperation to eradicate poverty and injustice. Thus, since America's present stance appears to be untenable, what better way to avenge the deaths of those who died in New York and Washington on Sept. 11, than to defeat the terrorists by closing the perceptual gap and truly becoming a vehement, rather than an opportunistic, proponent of freedom, democracy and justice for all!

FRANK RICHARDSON

Tangerang, Banten