International Insight

John Birmingham is an Australian author. I've read a few of his books. Most recently, Weapons of Choice and Designated Targets. I'm anxiously awaiting Final Impact.

To vastly summarize, he's written a trilogy about a UN Naval Task Force, spearheaded by the U.S.S Hillary Clinton, named for the late president (Ironically, she was assassinated by extremists because of he ultra-tough policy on terrorism.) which is sucked back in time to WWII while en route to fight terrorists in Indonesia in 2020. His books really focus on the resulting cultural clash and the alternate history that results. Including changes to military, political, cultural, civil rights, etc history. Decent stuff if you're into it.

Anyway, he also writes for newspapers and writes a blog. Lately, he's been writing some things which I find myself intrigued by. In Conflict and Metaphor he writes about the misguided comparison between the War on Terror and WWII.

Thinking on this today[Sept 11], I came to the conclusion that 1942, the darkest hour for the free world, is not an appropriate analogy for the present day. But perhaps 1932 is. At that point, Hilter did not control the German state and significant elements within German society – soon to be exterminated – were opposed to his nutty and murderous world view. In power realist terms he was less of a threat than the diffuse networks of modern islamo-fascism.

But within ten years, because nobody had the will to oppose him, he came very close to enslaving the world.

I find this to be a sound argument for the use of the word appeasement. Not for political gain but, because of the potential consequences of the policy.

The next day, in a post titled Creative and destructive energies he writes:

I suspect one of the things that makes it difficult to conceive of fascist islam as an existential threat is that they do not formally control a state and have not yet begun the recogniseable creation of one. Such an entity did exist in Afghanistan under the Talibs. And parts of the mid east are controlled for all intents and purposes by the enemy, which directs some it's energies in those areas to the very basic trench work of building their version of civilization...

Mostly we know them for their destrucitve energies. Suicide bombers detonating themselves inside bars and buses. Mass murderers flying jets into buildings. Psychopaths sawing the heads off trussed up victims on the internet. None of it creating anything material.

Don't know quite where I'm going with these thoughts. But I'm going somewhere.

Let me draw the connection. What if, in 10 years, or 6, or 4, these folks do devote more of their energy to "constructive" tasks? Such as building states? armies? navies? nuclear arsenals? "schools"? and "universities"?

What will these folks do with those armies? and navies? and nuclear weapons? What will they teach in their madrasses schools? and terror camps universities?
Will it be too late for you? for me? for all of us?