Defining Terms: Failure and the Definition of Madness

James Baker was the man who was purported to negotiate with someone who said of him, ‘You needed to see both his hands on the table, or else you couldn't trust him.” Even a slippery eel such as Baker had to admit that the reason they didn’t go into Baghdad in the First Gulf War was because, as he put it, “…you see what happened. We knew it would be a mess!” (I predict he’ll have to walk that one back, but sometimes the truth slips out).

George W. Bush once said, truthfully, during the 2004 presidential campaign, when asked about the war on terror, “It’s not something…you can’t actually ‘win’ it”. Of course, he had to retract that truth gaffe immediately, but it was out there. That was the most truthful statement I ever heard from the man. You can’t traditionally win a war on terror. You can subdue, you can contain, but you can’t declare victory over a group of jihadists or extremist guerilla fighters.

In Somalia and Yemen, there’s been some controversy over the White House lauding the use of drones and effective military containment of the enemy combatants. Most people would look at these failed states and immediately proclaim failure. We need to re-define the term ‘failure’ for this war. Apparently, success is when we don’t have another 9/11 and failure is when we have to keep going back to the same failed states with ground troops over and over again. The definition of madness comes into play here.

It would be madness to send ground troops-boots on the ground, as the saying goes-back into Iraq. We need to change the way we look at the Middle East and to see it in a different light. It’s not a shining city on the hill, nor will it be in our lifetime. It’s a battle-ground for extremists and a breeding ground for hopeful idealists who may shape the region into something better given enough time. That’s what we hope, but time is not on our side. Americans want victory now, complete with Roosevelt and Churchill signing papers onboard a gleaming battleship. That is not going to happen.

Americans are idealists, but not realists when it comes to war. We need to take off the rose-colored glasses and grow up a bit. This is reality, and it’s here to stay. Albeit, a sad reality for the people of the region, but it is what it is. Inshallah means God willing or If Allah wills. It’s a fatalistic view that we need to adapt for this part of the world.

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