Victories, Defeats and a Solution for the Middle East
This article was written by Alexander Amoroso. Alexander has been writing avidly since he was 12. and his awards include the Mildred Winters Scholarship for Historians, recognition for Outstanding new Literary Authorship and the Veterans of Foreign Wars award for the most hard working US Army ROTC cadet. He has been published in Thought Notebook, and Ash and Bones. The views expressed in this essay are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
Point of Decision’s anniversary contest challenged writers to evaluate the current state of western (particularly US) policies in the Greater Middle East. Identify what has been successful, what problems remain, and potential solutions.
After much consideration and analysis of the situation, this war we are fighting against terrorism is going well, but it could be going much better. This is due to the fact that terrorism, in that extraordinarily volatile region known as the Middle East, has actually increased in activity. However, thanks to the efforts done by the West, particularly the United States, countries in that area are rebuilt and strong enough to assist in the war against the people ravaging their nations. With what little information I have gathered from news sources and historical research, on top of my limited experience in the Armed Forces as a young US Army ROTC cadet, I hope I can humbly bring a fresh new perspective to the Middle Eastern theatre of the War on Terror that highlights the victories we have achieved, the defeats we have suffered and what solutions can be achieved now so we may finally bring this conflict to a close.
Before I constructively criticize the war effort of our brave troops, I must first point out the stellar victories the Armed Forces have achieved against these reprehensible people we are fighting against. The first victory I would like to discuss is a victory that has been won, but not on the battlefield. I am referring to the United States’ continued effort to help rebuild Middle Eastern countries ravaged by terrorists. According to ABC News, U.S. Troops have made strides in rebuilding Afghanistan’s infrastructure and training new officers for their army (Jim Sciutto). This effort has not only left a solid and positive presence for U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, but it has improved U.S. relations with the local population so we may better combat our common Taliban enemies in the region. Another victory is how we have adjusted strategies and tactics to better gain results against these terrorists through counter-terrorist measures and units. Ever since the 1970s, the United States has been consistent in its gaining of results in reducing Middle Eastern terrorism by applying international law to punish terrorists and sending counter-terrorist forces to take down terrorist cells (Hon. L. Paul Bremer, III 60–61).
This policy has obviously gained results since the number of terrorist cells not only in the Middle East, but worldwide, have reduced in number. The biggest victory for the United States against terrorism in the last decade is the destruction of the leader of Al-Qaeda: Osama Bin Laden. Thanks to the efforts done by U.S. Special Forces, now specializing in counter-terrorism, the head of the snake known as Al-Qaeda was removed in 2011 (Mark Bowden). I would like to continue seeing victories brought on by the United States when it comes to rebuilding nations, gaining allies and formatting strategies that get very important terrorist leaders killed as it continues to improve the situation in the Middle East.
There are defeats we have suffered, some of which were our own fault, that have not helped out the people of the Middle East, or the people of the world for that matter, and have otherwise deepened the conflict. One blunder that has caused a long term defeat for the United States was the miscalculated, unprecedented invasion of Iraq. Former Secretary of Defense and retired General, Colin Powell, discussed how Iraq was not only a preemptive strike that made a violent country even more violent, but it was an operation based on very bad intel (Alexandra Jaffe). I don’t think anyone would argue that Saddam Hussein was a horrible man that needed to be put down, but going into another nation without just cause, while we were already fighting in Afghanistan trying to find the 9/11 instigators, cost American lives and major support in the region. Another major defeat was the recent ISIS attack in Paris. Though this attack has brought the U.S. and France together as stronger allies, it was at the expense of hundreds of innocent people who died in an attack that should have never occurred so far from the Middle East (Stephen Collinson and Kevin Liptak).
This shows that the terrorists are condensing their forces so they may have a more influential and powerful force like ISIS to conduct violence outside of the Middle East, and that their ability to infiltrate a civilian population has gotten dangerously better. The last, and in my opinion, the most devastating defeat for the U.S. and its allies, is its violent reactionary policy. Ever since 9/11, and recently the attack in Paris, the governing principle in the aftermath of violence is to emotionally heighten violence against anyone who might be an accessory to terrorists, which might cause the deaths of innocent women and children, both at home and abroad (Paul Gottinger). Not only are these current defeats, especially the last one, a hindrance to the war effort against terrorists, they are also counterproductive to the kind of peace, stability and safety we want to achieve for the American people, but especially the innocent people of the Middle East.
as a future officer… it will be my fight very soon
The United States may not be able to end terrorism, but a solution to end terrorism and bring stability to the Middle East is possible and vital. Besides having enough resources and dedicated troops to get the job done, the United States has the opportunity to analyze and learn from its victories and defeats. By learning from our victories, we can sustain the development to better our strategies that ends the growth and power of terrorist organizations. On top of learning how to defeat the radical terrorists of the Middle East on the battlefield, policy makers have been developing strategies to philosophically destroy the rationale of terrorist groups so their rhetoric becomes unpopular, and as a result, lose their power (Ryan French). What drastically requires improvement when we learn from our defeats is how every move and action the United States makes has to be carefully executed, or else we will continue to deepen the conflict. Because the prior administration did not do things carefully, by which I mean fighting and defeating the enemy where they are uncomfortable, we have now extensive fighting across two continents, with increased threats to civilians and heightened efforts by terrorist cells (Mark Mazzetti, Scott Shane and Robert F. Worth.).
With the lessons from our victories and defeats in mind, my solution to end the War on Terror in the Middle East is to logically, mercilessly and quickly stomp out every terrorist cell in the region, with the assistance of every old and new free state in the region as a partner in the conflict, regardless of any sort of superficial prejudices. That solution would get whatever violent stranglehold that has been in the Middle East since before the conception of America out of the region, the terrorists in other parts of the world would learn to fear the calculated resolve of no mercy towards terrorists, thus increasing the strength of the U.S. led coalitions, and the nations we would have given our confidence to in that region would be confident themselves, since they would have the democratic, military and governing power to keep safe their home in the Middle East. I once again humble myself to the reality that my view is limited and I have yet to serve in a combat arms or combat support unit supporting the war effort. However, as a future officer, I hope my thoughts are strongly considered by currently serving troops and commanders in this conflict, as it will be my fight and yours very soon.
Bibliography
Bowden, Mark. “The Death of Osama Bin Laden: How the US Finally Got Its Man.” Http://www.theguardian.com/. The Guardian, 12 Oct. 2012. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/12/death-osama-bin-laden-us.
Collinson, Stephen, and Kevin Liptak. “Obama after Meeting Hollande: We Are All French Now.” CNN.com. Cable News Network, 24 Nov. 2015. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/24/politics/obama-francois-hollande-washington/index.html.
French, Ryan. “New Strategies in the Fight Against Terrorism.” Http://www.worldpolicy.org. World Policy Blog, 29 Oct. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2010/10/29/new-strategies-fight-against-terrorism.
Gottinger, Paul. “Beyond the Hysteria of Vengeance: To Defeat ISIS, End the ‘War on Terror’” Www.counterpunch.org. Counter Punch, 17 Nov. 2015. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/17/beyond-the-hysteria-of-vengeance-to-defeat-isis-end-the-war-on-terror/.
Jaffe, Alexandera. “Colin Powell: Invasion of Iraq ‘Badly Flawed’”Nbcnews.com. National Broadcasting Network, 6 Sept. 2015. Web. Accessed 24 Nov. 2015. http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/colin-powell-invasion-iraq-badly-flawed-n422566.
Mazzetti, Mark, Scott Shane, and Robert F. Worth. “Global Policy Forum: Secret Assault on Terrorism Widens on Two Continents.”Https://www.globalpolicy.org. New York Times, 14 Aug. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. https://www.globalpolicy.org/war-on-terrorism/49396.html?itemid=49396.
Sciutto, Jim. “U.S. Troops Help Rebuild Afghanistan.” ABC News. ABC News Network, 25 July 2015. Web. 25 Nov. 2015. http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=130209&page=1.
United States. Bureau of Public Affairs. Department of State. Counterterrorism: Strategy and Tactics. By L. Paul Bremer. Tampa: Bureau of Public Affairs, 1987. Policy No. 1023. Http://www.disam.dsca.mil/. Department of State. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. http://www.disam.dsca.mil/Pubs/Indexes/Vol%2010-2/Bremer.pdf.
