Peace Through Strength

Ronald Reagan had the right idea. "Peace Through Strength" is the argument he used with the disarmament proponents and how he dealt with the Soviet Union. It's just as valid today in dealing with Arab countries as it was then...

I've heard it said about the Arab culture that, "Arabs are either at your feet or at your throat". (I believe originally it was Winston Churchill who said it and he was referring to "Huns". However, I've since heard it also applied to Arab cultures.) An article via Blackfive found here seems to affirm the saying,

"It's a significant change in the right direction," said Capt. Dominique Neal, the new Lima Company commander. "I was surprised. I thought they'd be more fearful than anything. I think the amount of force that we displayed over the past few days definitely has changed their outlook."

"One thing that I do know is that the Iraqi people respond to who they think is the strongest," said Neal, 29, of San Francisco. "They saw the velvet glove when we first came in, and then we took off the glove and showed them the iron fist." [Source]

An article in The American Enterprise theorizes that societies are one of two different types. They are either shame-based or guilt-based. In guilt-based societies individuals will tend to mistrust their own native aggression and will actively seek to protect others from aggression. In shame-based societies,

By contrast, shame-vulnerable individuals are constantly vigilant toward aggressions of others against their sense of honor. If insulted, they feel humiliation and rage. The shame-prone willingly submit only when the external power appears so invincible that there is no alternative but surrender. Beneath their outward defiance, the shame-prone often hold unconscious yearnings to be submissive; the seemingly omnipotent conqueror allows them to be passive without shame. [Source]

The point here is that we will not get anywhere in Iraq by showing weakness to the population. Of course, I'm not justifying abuse, however we need to be very careful that when we choose to retreat from a situation rather than fight that it isn't misinterpreted as weakness. From our point of view in a guilt-based culture, walking away from a fight for a noble cause is considered almost heroic, but not in an Arab culture. This is especially true for a nation that feels it has long been humiliated by a ruthless dictator.

With all of the talk of "negotiations" going on in Fallujah and elsewhere I only hope those in charge of things understand how certain actions can be interpreted when applied through a different cultural lens.