The Global War on Terrorism from Two Perspectives

The Militarist (Mythic) Perspective:

A Preemptive War* to combat terrorism, uphold American values, defend freedoms, and to fulfill a sacred and noble responsibility to liberate and bring democracy (and Christianity?) to the oppressed peoples of the world.

The Rationalist (Sensory) Perspective:

A Preventive War** initiated and sustained by multiple Presidential Administrations; enabled and financed by a rubber stamp and spineless Congress, many of whom continue to influence policy and decisions of state despite their ineptitude and errors in judgment; orchestrated by the Defense Department’s arrogant and headstrong civilian leadership who consistently ignored the lessons of history and the advice of many military and civilian experts.

• The implementation of the misguided strategy of Full-Spectrum Dominance conceptualized by The Project for the New American Century (PNAC)*** that destabilized the Greater Middle East creating what Hillary Clinton referred to in the second primary debate as the Arc of Instability for which she must bear a measure of responsibility.

• The invasion and occupation of sovereign nations based upon contrived and/or faulty intelligence, deception, and lies; characterized by huge corporate profits and tax cuts for the wealthy; in defiance of the objections and protestations of many long time allies and a significant proportion of its own citizenry; acquiesced to by a compliant corporate mainstream press and media.

• A war of aggression in violation of International Law, numerous Treaties, Conventions, and the Constitution of the United States; fought by children who lacked “other priorities” and influential families, as part of a compliant and dedicated military, inadequate in strength of numbers and disgracefully ill-equipped, many of whom were ill-prepared National Guardsmen, Guardswomen, and Reservists, the rest overtaxed by multiple deployments, misled and deceived into believing their sacrifices to be in behalf of freedom and a necessary response to the heinous attacks of September 11th.

• The American Imperial Project the intent of which was to establish a Pax Americana (the American Empire) but instead substantially increased terrorism in the world, created the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II, prompting the closing of American borders to fleeing refugees; costing thus far approximately $ 5 trillion in treasure, 6,852 American lives, 4 million Muslim lives, 52,448 American injured, an additional 320,000 suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury, 400,000 more with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; all in the name of a generally apathetic and ill-informed citizenry.

_________

*Preemptive War: a war initiated to repel or defeat a real and imminent threat, offensive, or invasion shortly before that attack materializes.
**Preventive War: (also termed the Bush Doctrine) a war initiated without real and imminent provocation therefore lacking justification, in response to an anticipated, though unsubstantiated (perhaps delusional and/or contrived) future threat.
***The Project for the New American Century is an American neoconservative think tank, whose members included many people who served in various capacities of government during the George W. Bush administration, such as Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, John Bolton, Richard Armitage, Jeb Bush, Elliott Abrams, Eliot A. Cohen, and I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby among others.

_____________

Camillo Mac Bica, Ph.D.

Camillo “Mac” Bica, Ph.D., is a professor of philosophy at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He is a former Marine Corps Officer, Vietnam Veteran, a long-time activist for peace and justice, and the Coordinator of the Long Island Chapter of Veterans for Peace.

His philosophical focus is in Social and Political Philosophy and Ethics, particularly the relation between war, morality, and healing. Bica’s books include “There are no Flowers in a War Zone: The Memories, Nightmares, and Flashbacks of a Vietnam War Survivor;” Beyond PTSD: The Moral Casualties of War,;” (Gnosis Press, 2015) and “Worthy of Gratitude: Why Veterans May Not Want to be Thanked for Their “Service” in War” (Gnosis Press, 2015). Articles by Dr. Bica have appeared in numerous philosophical journals and online alternative news sites.

www.camillobica.com