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| July 11, 2003 | Friday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 10, 1424 |
Scholar criticizes US involvement in wars
ISLAMABAD, July 10: Will there be a third war after Afghanistan and Iraq?
An American Professor Dr Paul D. Scott (teaching Modern Chinese and Japanese History at Kansai University in Osaka, Japan) thinks that after the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, America may be ready to fight another war with a country described as among the “axis of evil” if another attack takes place on American territory.
Speaking at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute on Thursday evening Prof Scott contended that the attacks on the US horrified Americans and galvanized a Bush Administration which on September 10, perhaps, was not regarded as capable.
Finding its voice on September 12, Bush administration labelled it a war against terrorism (Where is the victory parade? The professor wondered). In the 2002 State of the Union Message, the “axis of evil” — Iran, Iraq and North Korea — was discovered. This approach of demonizing an enemy, according to Prof Scott, was interestingly enough, “normal”.
Taking the audience back to 200 years of American history, he said its foundations were embedded in rejection of Europe, its values and of European power politics. Americans found themselves to be an exceptional state, and thought that it was their mission to serve as a beacon light to the world.
He said that up until mid-20th century the US entered into conflict against its will. Even after 1945-46, they demobilized their army very quickly. It was from Korea onwards that there was the new trend.
Criticizing the increasing involvement of America in “wars” as an instrument of foreign policy, he quoted the American statesman John Quincy Adam, who had said that “America should not go abroad in search of monsters. Otherwise it will involve itself beyond the power of extrication. America might become the dictatress of the world, but she would not be the ruler of her own spirit”.
Describing the people in present American administration, as “neo-conservatives”, he said that any one talking of isolation would be a lonely voice.
Talking of the possible third war he said besides, North Korea and Iran, Syria has also been mentioned. He said that now the attack could be launched against any nation state. If it is a WMD attack, and it were linked to North Korea or Iran, — or even if the people who carried it out were linked to these countries — then the US would demand, at the very least regime change.
Prof Scott said that about a couple of years it was unthinkable that wars at this scale would be used for establishing “democracy” in the world.
He remembered Johan Foster Dulles, Secretary of State in Eisenhower administration, who also worked in dividing the world in communities of Communists and anti-communists.
He drew the attention towards the present skirmishes in Iraq and Afghanistan and thought that with the passage of time American public might question the effectiveness of the war on terror. He also spoke of the billions of dollars being budgeted for “bunker busters”.
He wished for one day’s defence budget of the world to be spent on education and health in the developing countries. He said in an immediate reaction to September 11, while Osama and “Al Qaeda” were targeted, demonized and fought against, larger and more complicated issues were not given attention to.—Mufti Jamiluddin Ahmad
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