The Zone

[Dan Jizzenberry]

With all the calls for realism I've been hearing lately, I have only one 
question to ask: does anyone on this list--American, Danish, or 
otherwise--seriously believe that this new war of ours will wipe terrorism 
off the face of the planet? That once this war draws to an end (whenever 
that will be) America (and the rest of the 'civilized' world) will be safe 
from terrorism? Is this optimism inspired only by the catastrophic events of 
last Tuesday and the cries for revenge that followed, or is it based on 
'realistic' aims? If the answer to the first two questions is yes, then I 
fear that the coming war is going to be like the war against drugs X 10000. 
Short term goals may be satisfied (nabbing Bin Laden--or Pablo Escobar or 
any other symbol of 'evil', be they terrorists or heads of international 
drug cartels) but in the long run I fear that this is going to end not only 
in bloodshed (which is both realistic and predictable) but in apathy and 
disillusionment. Keep in mind that I'm not critiquing American policy on a 
moral level (which is how I usually approach it) but on a pragmatic level. 
That is, I hope to show how Quixotic this 'crusade' is using language that 
every American is familiar with: what will work and what will not. Now, if 
there's anyone on this list that seriously envisions an America free of car 
bombs, hijackings, and other terrorist assaults when this, the first war of 
the 21st century ends, then let your voices be heard. Otherwise, let's stop 
pretending that the retaliatory strikes which lay ahead are based on 
anything but revenge fantasies and political expedience. This, to me, would 
represent a less-grandiose, less-naive version of 'realism' that high-minded 
idealists like myself could possibly embrace.



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