After Iraq, What Next?
America Faces a Dangerous World
As the world focuses its attention on the conflict between the
United States and Iraq, it's easy to overlook the many other threats
facing the United States. What are these threats, and what do they portend?
Regrettably, many others watched that disaster unfold and learned the
same lesson- that even a giant has its weak spots and chinks in its armor.
Are these others even now lining up, waiting for circumstances and conditions
to be ripe to take their turn? Time will tell.
Regardless of how events unfold in Iraq, the United States is facing
a dangerous world that appears to be turning increasingly against American
interests. A region-by-region look at trends is sobering.
"Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that
anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes
he will encounter," wrote Winston Churchill in 1930, well before he led
Britain through the dark years of World War II. Once war begins, he continued,
a national leader "is no longer the master of policy but the slave of
unforeseeable and uncontrollable events."
Such is the quandary the United States finds itself in with Iraq. Certainly,
ignoring the problem indefinitely-as so many have been willing to do,
hoping it would go away-has been an utter failure. On paper the United
States has overwhelming military superiority, greater than that of many
real or potential enemies combined, and war against Iraq should be quick
and relatively easy.
But the Middle East has a centuries-long track record of confounding
the best-laid plans of generals, diplomats and political leaders alike.
Throw into the mix weapons of mass destruction (WMD), terrorism, unstable
governments and religious fanaticism and almost anything can happen.
