D. Miliband, the British foreign minister wrote in the Guardian, “‘War on terror’ is a ‘mistake,'” and that attracted attention from all over the world. Many people took notice of the remark because it suggests that the U.K., the most faithful ally of the U.S. on War on Terror, has distanced herself from the U.S. and admitted mistakes made by the White House.
I have my own interpretation of his statement, but how we make sense of it is tied with how we make sense of the world in the twenty-first century.
I call the period before 1945 “the period of war,” and we should distinguish it from the Cold War period and the more recent period of no war, as described in my book on a new theory of war. But the warless period is not at all the same as a peaceful period. In fact, it is a period of conflict rather than war that threatens peace of the world. It is also a period without war, when the army is replaced by the police.
The event that clearly ushered in this period was 9/11.
That the U.S. Cannot Recognize the Change is a Tragedy
This event took human beings into a completely new security environment. However, President Bush took an opposite view, preferring the concept of war to that of terror.
I realized the arrival of the new era at its beginning, so I supported Bush’s war on terror on the one hand, yet was seriously perplexed by his emphasis on “War” on the other.
I mention this because it is important to how we should interpret Miliband’s remark, since we do indeed live in a new of conflict in the twenty-first century, the likes of which mankind has never faced, and because we need to get rid of our false concepts from the previous period of war if we are to solve the problems of the period we are in now.
Miliband argues of the War on Terror, “The coalition [can]not kill its way out of the problems of insurgency and civil strife.” Instead of trying to build western solidarity against a shared enemy, it should be founded instead on the idea of who we are and the values we share.” And “We must respond to terrorism by championing the rule of law, not subordinating it, for it is the cornerstone of the democratic society.”
In the period of war, the tacit agreement was that the parties involved were basically regarded as equal, regardless of which side they were on. President Bush terrorists an equal position to the U.S. by introducing the idea of the “War on Terror”, didn’t he?
The Arrival of the Period of Conflict
This is the tragedy of the Bush administration: he could not identify the change from the period of war to the warless period. If we regard terrorists as part of the arrival of the period of conflict, they are nothing but a threat, an enemy and criminals against all of humanity.
It has been a while since war became illegal under the Pact of Paris in 1928. War no longer exists theoretically. When we try to interpret Miliband’s remark in that context, it is easy to understand that the essence of his remark is not to rebel against the U.S. but to grope for a new approach with the Obama administration.
To dig deeper, the ultimate threat to the peace and security of humankind in the twenty-first century is not World War III. It is the proliferation of nuclear weapons and their falling into the hands of a terrorist group. It is the struggle to uproot terrorism: it is not “war”, but it is struggle. And it is probably the struggle for all mankind.
The Japanese people cannot be bystanders at all. How can we contribute to global peace? That is the question that Japanese people have to ask themselves.
the war on terror is like the war on drugs it is designed to make lots of profits for the few at the expense of the many.
the huge industrial military complex in america must always have a war going on or at least the threat of a war.
the american people actually believe their freedom depends on this mega military and its corp industrial complex.
we cannot afford universal health care but we can afford this mega military expense.
there are 47 million americans without health care and americans call themselves a christian nation. go figure.
every 30 seconds an american files for bankruptcy due to medical costs.
watch the repubs kill health care reform to take care of the insurance and medical and drug industry profits. that very same companies that donate to their run for congress.
corp fascism has taken over america even the mass media and even talk radio.
media needs money and lots of it and the corporations have that money.
politicans need money and lots of it and who has that money? corporations.
the decline of wealth of america is in full force but few see it happening. very few.
reagan’s trickle down theory and deregulation sold to americans was pure genius. the middle class has been in decline since.
his base was the have mores and he knew that so well but he also got much of the middle class vote that was the genius of reagan.
these middle class folks voted against their own self interest.
we are living on borrowed money to pay for this mega military expense.
americans love being the top dog ie super power.
it is a national ego thing like the bully on the street it feels good for others to look up to your strenght.
few will understand my words very few.
nationalism and patroitism can overwhelm the rational mind of most citizens.
ask the germans of 1945 that question. they stood in line for hours just to get a look at hitler.