From an essay entitled “The Middle of Nowhere,” by Edward N. Luttwak, which appears in the July 2007 issue of Harper’s, reprinted there from the May issue of Prospect:
Hardliners keep suggesting that with a bit of well-aimed violence (“the Arabs only understand force”) compliance will be obtained. Yet what happens every time is an increase in hostility; defeat is followed not by collaboration but by sullen noncooperation and active resistance too. It is not hard to defeat Arab countries, but it is mostly useless. Violence can work to destroy dangerous weapons but not to induce desired changes in behavior.
(The online version of the essay is only available to Harper’s subscribers, but if you want to read the whole thing you can always pick up a copy at your newsstand. If there are any newsstands left where you live.)
And what happens when we “defeat” Arab countries? Resentment simmers, al-Qaida moves in to rally the disenfranchised, and they regroup. Big time. Too bad our leadership is busy playing Clint Eastwood…someone needs to play “Misty” for them.