The Invisible Hand

Give War a Chance

A European friend informed me recently that military action in the Middle East “never solved anything.”

That was a revelation. I thought everyone should know about it. But upon reflection I concluded that this was a bit like saying, “negative campaigning never works.”

Frankly, if these two approaches to problem solving weren’t effective in arenas as competitive as war and politics they would have been jettisoned long before the next violence/election cycle.

So far military action in the Middle East has been stunningly effective. After enduring a quickening tempo of mega-terrorist “operations” -- Khobar Towers, the US embassy in Nairobi, the USS Cole in Aden, mass murder in Lower Manhattan – there has been no rejoinder. You could say the cycle of violence has been broken.

That’s because instead of enjoying the perks and comforts of honored guests in Afghanistan, al Qaeda serial killers are now busy hiding for their lives after having been chased out of every dusty dive from Khost to Revz by crew-cut NASCAR enthusiasts . . . praise Allah!

And in Israel, after averaging one vicious suicide attack on unarmed women and grandfathers per day for months before the Israeli Defense Forces took action, there has been only one attack in nearly two weeks. That would seem to constitute success.

Of course, military action works . . . but only for the winning side.