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Five Reasons The War On Terrorism Will Never Be Won With Foreign Invasions

Osama bin Laden and all al-Qaida leadership that aided in the 9/11 attacks should be vanquished. We can also protect our homeland from the next terrorist attack. But none of this requires America to invade a single foreign nation, and here are the five reasons why.

1. America is at risk of more terrorist attacks - but not just from the Middle East According to a recent NYPD report, the greatest terrorist threat to United States citizens now comes from our own people - homegrown terrorists. This is not news to anyone who is aware of how different the terrorist threat is from any other enemy we've faced. John Robb, in his excellent book Brave New War, outlines the myriad ways that any dedicated homicide-minded individual can bypass America's woefully inadequate homeland security and exploit technology to wreak havoc on a massive scale:

"We have entered the age of the faceless, agile enemy. From London to Madrid to Nigeria to Russia, stateless terrorist groups have emerged to score blow after blow against us. Driven by cultural fragmentation, schooled in the most sophisticated technologies, and fueled by transnational crime...terrorists have developed the ability to fight nation-states strategically - without weapons of mass destruction. This new method is called systems disruption, a simple way of attacking the critical networks (electricity, oil, gas, water, communications, and transportation) that underpin modern life."

Depraved desires for maniacal violence and the ability to carry them out are not confined to the foreign world or a single country. It's highly unfortunate that such an obvious fact is so dangerously transcended by American neoconservatives. To spend massive resources on an invasion of a single country and render our military incapable of responding to another threat - all while domestic terrorism grows in danger - is a manifestly asinine policy at best and national suicide at worst. Protecting our nation against terrorism -fourth generation warfare - requires developing decentralized resistance and dynamic local law enforcement. There is no "fighting them over there so they don't attack us here". They're already here. It's about protecting us now.

2. Democracy doesn't stop terrorism, policemen do

The President tells us we must invade Iraq because democracy will stop terrorism. But to think that democratic government does anything but express the views of its subjects is a delusion. Even while great democracies help to sideline radical views, they by no means eliminate the occasional expression of sadistic savagery. Timothy McVeigh and the Unabomber were American. The 9/11 hijackers planned their attacks in Germany. Angry inner city youths recently went on a pyromaniacal crusade in France. Britain's 7/7 bombers were Britons. It's uncomfortable, but the free speech and tolerance that democracy offers can even be a boon to terrorists, allowing them to communicate more openly, practice their faith more openly, and freely associate.

By contrast, brutal dictators are usually quite effective at crushing terrorists. Authoritarian governments are remarkably adept at obliterating any perceived threats to their power, and the threat of terrorism is no different. The Middle East is saturated with iron fist regimes that cleverly market their brutal anti-terrorist activities both as necessary for both public safety and for the Will of Allah. Shining examples of this principle are Saudi Arabia, a backward and repressed Islamic society that actively condemns Islamic terrorists as apostate and is a regime regarded as an ally in the War on Terror; and Syria, a nation that unleashed tanks and bulldozers on its own cities in order to root out the Muslim Brotherhood.

Stopping terrorism has nothing to do with democracy, and everything to do with law enforcement.

3. Invasion doesn't work

While terrorist leaders who aided in 9/11 are a defined and finite enemy, terrorists themselves are not. As the greatest political commentator in American history, the late William F. Buckley, Jr., wrote, "Individual terrorists were only yesterday engaged in ordinary occupations, shocking friends and family when they struck as terrorists." Indeed. One cannot invade Iraq to root out potential terrorists any more than one can invade America to root out potential terrorists. One can only protect against the inevitable strike.

While American special forces should pursue bin Laden and his henchmen with all deliberate speed, traditional nation-state warfare is utterly incapable of fighting terrorism. As Mr. Robb says in Brave New War, "From a security perspective, the most disturbing aspect of 9/11 wasn't the horrible destruction, but that the men who attacked us on that day didn't even factor the opposition of the U.S. military into their planning. Despite tens of trillions of dollars spent on defense over the last decades, this military force proved ineffectual as a deterrent at the point when we needed it most."

Another historical fact counseling against foreign invasion is that no foreign power has ever vanquished a domestic guerrilla rebellion. The most powerful force in the world is a people willing to sacrifice themselves to expel a foreign occupier from their homeland. This helps explain why there was no such thing as al-Qaida in Iraq until America invaded it.

No people should understand the foolishness of foreign occupation more than Americans. Despite living under the freest country in the world in 1776 (Great Britain, providers of natural liberty, the Magna Carta, democratic government and a robust legal system), we still threw off the yoke of foreign power, and rightly so. Our very existence is a testament to the lesson that a people will always fight to expel a foreign presence, no matter how benevolent the imperialist motives.

4. Winning hearts and minds requires living people

Islamofascism is a hideous, benighted, destructive and blasphemous ideology that must be thoroughly denounced by intellectuals around the world. However, reckless American military intervention stands in the way of winning this crucial battle of ideas for several reasons.

First, it diverts world attention from Islamofascist brutality and focuses it on American belligerence. In a world largely of media censorship and ignorant public opinion, it is too easy for Islamofascists to play the victim when American tanks are rolling through their side streets. As we are forced to stoop to their level - fighting amongst civilians, villages and homes - we lose the moral high ground.

Second, American culture is remarkably adept at forging positive opinions of our country through peace and commerce. It was recently reported that as American products finally entered Iraq, locals happily flocked to buy the high quality items, even while they cursed our military occupation. We can make people love America without resorting to force.

Third, moderate Islamic scholars must publicly condemn Islamofascism. But America has recently denied visas (ostensibly for security reasons) to moderate Islamic scholars who happen (for good reason) to vigorously oppose U.S. foreign policy. We must face the fact that many of our allies in the War of Ideas are those who oppose our current prosecution of the War on Terror, and embrace the criticism for pursuit of the greater victory.

5. Yes, they hate our freedom - but they kill us for being over there

One need only consult Osama bin Laden's declaration of war on theUnited Statesto find out why he is trying to kill us. Or, if you want it from an intelligent American instead of a murderous lunatic, ask former senior CIA analyst and head of the agency's bin Laden unit, Michael Scheuer. The jihad has nothing to do with our freedoms and has everything to do with our military interventions in the Middle East. Al-Qaida gains financial support, moral justification and willing recruits to kill Americans by arguing that American military presence in the Middle East is interfering with their ability to implement Islamofascism in the Arabian peninsula. News Flash: Islamofascists don't want to rule America; they want to rule Mesopotamia.

Of course, a radical adjustment in American foreign policy will not stop radical Islamofascists from despising the West any more than eight hundred McDonalds haven't stopped the French from hating us. But the point isn't to make them like us; it's to starve the jihad of resources and support. The only way to do that is to stop legitimizing the Islamofascist narrative of an oppressed people suffering under American military occupation.

Recognizing America's foreign policy mistakes is not letting the terrorists win. It is simply an intelligent recognition of reality and our own limitations. We all love this country and desire to remain safe. We do not criticize our nation's foreign policy lightly, nor do we doubt the patriotic sincerity of those who believe otherwise. We only seek to learn from history and ensure that unlike Rome, France, and Great Britain, our glorious empire will not buckle under the weight of ill-advised imperial ventures.

About the Author

The author of The American Evolution, Matt Harrison is the founder and executive director of The Prometheus Institute, Los Angeles, CA, a nonprofit public policy institute. He has authored more than 200 articles, many of which can be found on www.ThePrometheusInstitute.org, has been a guest on several talk radio shows, and a guest blogger for CNN.    Harrison earned a BBA in political science from University of Miami and has completed requirements on his law degree and master of public policy degree from the University of Southern California.

The Prometheus Institute is a public policy organization dedicated to discovering independent policy solutions to reduce the burden of government on the people, and creatively marketing these ideas to the lay public of the United States, in order to create the political demand for positive change.


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Questions and Answers About Career Transitions

Q: Who is James O. Armstrong?

I am an author of a book about career transitions for baby boomers which came out last spring.  The name of the book is "Now What?  Discovering Your New Life and Career After 50."  The book is being sold at retail bookstores and by virtually every online bookstore in the U.S. today and in Canada.  In addition, I'm a website entrepreneur, where my focus is on job transitions for men and women over age 40, as well as on subjects like college and training options, relocating, volunteering and other subjects of interest to baby boomers and younger seniors as we transition into the next chapter of our lives.  I am also the President of James Armstrong & Associates, Inc., which is a northwest suburban Chicago national and international media representation firm. 

Today I see my role as being one of speaking hope into my generation of fellow baby boomers that the best may be yet to come instead of past tense.  Men and women today are visiting our website which is http://www.NowWhatJobs.net because they probably just lost a job or a loved one, friend or neighbor just lost a job.  And, they are beginning to look for answers that make sense going forward into the next chapter of their lives.

Q: What challenges have you faced that reflect what you just talked about –- in terms of speaking hope to your generation?

During the 1990s, I personally went through three reorganization or downsizing exercises, which put me into the position of needing to find a new job.  In each case, I emerged victorious from that search process.  In addition to those personal experiences, I should also point out that over the past 30 years I have had an extensive amount of experience as a marketing consultant with all sorts of economic development organizations in the United States and Canada.  Those organizations have included foreign countries, states and provinces, cities, regional chambers of commerce, economic development corporations and partnerships, ports and airports, real estate developers, commercial real estate companies, builders and engineering companies, among other companies in this market niche.

Q: Have you reinvented yourself, and if so how?

Early in my career in the media industry, I discovered that the sales career path was significantly different than the editorial or creative direction.  Specifically, my sales and marketing direction led me to a 13 year employee status with BusinessWeek Magazine, where I was a national and international account manager.  It also led me to an eight year career with Industry Week Magazine, where I served as Director of Economic Development among other responsibilities.  And it resulted in recent years in an involvement with The Financial Times of London in the Midwest with selected accounts and working on special reports.  Beyond those assignments, I have also functioned as the Director of Economic Development for a series of magazines, including my current assignment at Inbound Logistics, which is the leading logistics and global trade magazine in North America in editorial and advertising pages. 

This background has also allowed me to interact with people up to and including governors of states, lieutenant governors and directors of commerce or departments of economic development.  These individuals tend to be cabinet level officers covering the economic development or commerce department area for states throughout the United States.

Q: What would you say to someone who has career anxiety?

I believe those anxieties are certainly justified, but perhaps magnified unnecessarily by the national media, which tends to provide an incomplete picture of what is happening in the jobs and career area in the United States.  Specifically, the major TV networks and big city daily newspapers in the U.S. especially tend to focus on layoffs that occur in large companies.  As a result, men and women get the misimpression that jobs are constantly decreasing, when in fact the small business sector is busy generating jobs in our economy.  Government at all levels also has job opportunities.  The healthcare sector, including dental health in such areas as dental hygienists, is also creating jobs for our society.  And, so, we need to focus on where the jobs are available and not where some large company eliminated 3,000 jobs yesterday.  Look at the total picture in regard to the job situation in America and elsewhere.  The simple truth of the matter is there is a labor shortage in America and there is especially a skills shortage, which will become increasingly critical in the years to come. 

Q: Tell us about an obstacle that you faced in your career and how you overcame that.

When my office closed at BusinessWeek Magazine in St. Louis, I wound up exploring other options in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.  Then, I wound up moving to Chicago because no similar jobs were available at that time in the St. Louis area.  That was a successful transition, but I had to be willing to move physically and I had to be willing to explore options at another national magazine other than my current employer, whether I wanted to do so or not, for the sake of the financial needs of my family.  In other words, by being willing to move to Chicago, I was able to take care of the needs of my family.  The follow through in this process meant that I had to demonstrate flexibility plus a willingness to do whatever it would take to get the job done.

Q: Someone says to you, "What can I do right now to help my career?"

More education is always an option even if that means going to a truck driver training school for six weeks to become a truck driver.  The income levels you're talking about there range from perhaps $35,000 to $75,000 a year as a truck driver, depending on how many hours you're driving each year and several other factors.  But, the opportunities are there in that area just as they exist in warehousing and some types of manufacturing jobs.  It's all about being willing to explore options that perhaps you haven't considered in the past.  You may even conclude that today is the day to begin exploring those options.

Q: Tell us a little about your book, "Now What?"

My book profiles 19 men and women from all over the U.S. in all sorts of different jobs and career paths, at all different ages ranging from early 50s to 85 years old and with the fullest possible range of educational levels.  Each of the transitions for these men and women were successful.  As a result, the stories are inspiring to other men and women, especially those in difficult circumstances.  For someone who has been feeling a little down in the mouth lately or might be anticipating a transition in careers coming up soon, the book would make an ideal purchase.

Q: Someone tells you, "I see a transition coming up on the horizon.  What would you say to me?"

You need to start planning now for what your strategy will be.  The biggest point is not to simply send a resume out once or twice a week, but to work hard in the job transition process just like you have worked full-time in the past.  To land a new job, make sure to interact with friends of yours from the industry, with vendors that you've known over a period of time, while developing a database program in your computer, and keeping track of people you've contacted, including what they had to say, and then getting back to them with appropriate follow-up correspondence.  That effort includes your resume and letters of endorsement of you as a person.  By the way, your resume needs to cite specific accomplishments in terms of what you actually achieved in the job while you were there, because everyone wants to hire someone who is outstanding.  If 10 people have the very same experience and the same education, the one that actually accomplished something while he or she was in the position will be selected.

Q: Someone says to you, "Jim, I cannot do it.  I want to give up."

Well, if you do give up, then that becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy where the end conclusion is failure.  So, if you want to fail, then simply don't make any effort.  If that's your disposition, then there's nothing I can say or do to make you think or act differently.  But, if you're willing to make an effort, the more effort you make, the better will be the outcome.  If you choose to contact 20 different prospects every day and follow through with the appropriate correspondence, that's the kind of aggressive approach you need to take as compared to a passive effort, which might only include contacting perhaps one or two people per week.  More contact is the better approach and interacting with people who you know, including friends and neighbors, and men and women in the same company or industry, plus vendors to your former company will all be part of a winning process. 

Q: Someone says to you, "I know there aren't any jobs in this town, but all my family and friends are here.  And I'm even taking care of an aging parent here."

Everything has to be taken into consideration.  If you can afford not to work in the future, then the aging parent consideration might become foremost.  But if you have to continue to receive a paycheck, then you may want to consider moving to where jobs are more plentiful, such as the Rocky Mountain states.  The unemployment rate there typically falls into the two to three percent range. 

Q: "But my kids are in high school here."

That's unfortunate.  But having a job is more important than where your kids are in high school.  Flexibility in terms of pursuing all your options is very important to your ultimate success.

Q: Why did you decide to devote so much of your life to helping your fellow baby boomers?

I believe it's a calling which the Lord has given to me.

About the Author

James O. Armstrong is President of NowWhatJobs.net, Inc., http://www.nowwhatjobs.net, and he serves as the Editor of NowWhatJobs.net. In addition, Jim is the author of "Now What: Discovering Your New Life And Career After 50" and the President of James Armstrong & Associates, Inc., a media representation firm based in Suburban Chicago.

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