Mideast: They're doing it without us
By
Andrew J. Bacevich
Rendering a decade of U.S. policy irrelevant, the people of the Middle East are transforming the region themselves.
The ongoing upheaval in the Arab world (and in Iran) has rendered a definitive judgment on U.S. policy over the last decade. Relying on their own resources and employing means of their own devising, the people of the Middle East intent on transforming that region have effectively consigned the entire "war on terror" to the category of strategic irrelevance.
When first conceived in the wake of 9/11, two convictions underpinned that war. According to the first, precluding further attacks on the United States meant that the Islamic world needed to change. According to the second, because Muslims were manifestly unable to change on their own, the United States needed to engineer the process, with American military might serving as catalyst. Freedom (or at least submission) would issue from the barrel of a GI's assault rifle.
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In Afghanistan, then Iraq and now, of course, AfPak, U.S. efforts to promote change have achieved — at best — mixed results. Meanwhile, the costs incurred have proved painfully high. In terms of treasure expended, lives lost and moral authority squandered, Americans have paid a lot and gotten precious little in return.
Fascinating piece. Humility and contrition, huh? That'll be the day...
ReplyDeleteBut did you sense the hopefulness in the context of this piece? What a wonderful paradigm shift to potentially realize that we aren't the world's nanny. Talk about taking the pressure off! I was very moved by the analysis in this piece. Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is very hopeful. It is an amazing time in history. Inspiring.
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