America's Wars

Tonight President Obama will make what many are arguably calling "the most important speech of his presidency."  Of course, it appears that he will order another 30,000 troops into Afghanastan to bring our total troop commitment to somewhere around 100,000.  He also reportedly will outline a plan to effectively use American power in this God-forsaken, land-locked, tribal nation of cave-dwellers that will allow us to exit at some indefinite future date.

As I type these words the Democratic Party based is erupting with fury and scoldings from such glitteratti as Michael Moore arguing that he has abandoned the Party's philosophy that this is an unjust and immoral war and should be ended NOW.  We haven't heard from the "loyal opposition" but my guess is that the Republicans will mostly support this troop increase with some marginal criticism about the plan and exit strategy.

Now the question: is this the best strategy and will it lead to victory over the taliban and alqiada?  History tells us that the end result will most likely be an American defeat.  But, given the success of the Iraqi surge last year, it might work.  However, the American military success in stabilizing Iraqi is now in jeopardy because all sides have drifted back to their old ways and the majority Sunni are putting it to the minority Shia.  Ah, ain't life a beach?

A few years ago when I was an undergraduate student I took several foreign policy courses that helped me understand the application of power by a nation.  What I learned is that there are two "interests" for each nation: primary and secondary.  A Primary National Interest would always be the protection of the homeland, which would make war likely.  All nations strive to protect their borders from potential invaders.  A Secondary National Interest would be something that is a concern to the nation, but for which it would most likely not go to war over.

In those courses we used to argue and debate about the national interest of a superpower.  And since the only world superpower is the USA, the question begs: do we have any secondary national interests?  I would argue that we have few as everything that happens around the globe affects America in one way or another.  Hence, since the 1960s and our Vietnam adventure, America has stuck its nose into anything she thinks will adversely affect it, much to our chagrin.

It's interesting to note that correspondents are talking about the "war weariness of the American people."  Oh really!  What war weariness?  Have you or I been drafted?  Have our families made a supreme personal sacrifice?  Have we been called upon to make an economic sacrifice?  Have we marched on the Capitol to demand that America strive for complete victory?  The answer in a word is "No!"

Is this the first time in American history that our people have been so divided over a war?  Again, the answer is "No!"  History tells us the following.  The American War of Independence from Great Britain (1775-1783) was not universally supported by the approximately 2 million people living in the colonies.  Historians speculate that about one-third of the population favored separation from the Crown; one-third were staunchly pro-King; and one-third didn't care one way or the other.  That a minority of the population could start a war with the world's only superpower of that day and ultimately have them cave in is a story worth reading if you have not done so.

Other wars (War of 1812, Mexican-American War) prior to the seminal war in our nation's history (Civil War) were not widely supported.  In the aformentioned wars, the New England states and much of New York and Pennsylvania were against the effort.  In fact, a young freshman Whig Congressman (Abraham Lincoln) was a constant critic of President Polk's War policy to the point where he chose not to seek re-election in 1848 becasue of his unpopular stance in a western state (Illinois) that heavily supported it.

Absent a discussion of the Civil War, the two 20th Century wars were initially not widely popular with the American public.  Large blocks of German Americans and (in WW2) Italian Americans were strongly against going to war to aid Great Britain over Nazi Germany.  It wasn't until the Germans renewed submarine warfare (WW1) and the Japanese attacked Pearl Habor (WW2) that our nation came together and helped to finish the task at hand.

In fact, probably the only major war that was widely popular was the Spanish-American War (1898).  President McKinley was against going to war with Spain, but a "manifest destiny" congress and a "muckraking" press literly pushed him into it.  And, of course, it was like shooting fish in a barrell.  A decadent and demoralized Spain was quickly vanquished and America was on its way toward become a superpower.

So, President Obama is between the proverbial "rock and a hard place."  He has little wiggle room and quite frankly appears to be unsure about the decision.  Regardless, it will shape his presidency into the future and may cost him re-election in 2012.  But the bigger question is: what will it cost America?