-Caveat Lector- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55427-2003Mar30.html washingtonpost.com
War Hawks Blinded by Hardened Hearts By Courtland Milloy Monday, March 31, 2003; Page B01 "I think the level of casualties is secondary," American Enterprise Institute scholar Michael A. Ledeen told the gathering of war hawks. "I mean, it may sound like an odd thing to say, but all the great scholars who have studied American character have come to the conclusion that we are a warlike people and that we love war. . . . What we hate is not casualties, but losing." Odd, indeed, I thought upon reading Ledeen's remarks in news accounts of a so-called "black coffee briefing" held Thursday at the AEI. But, sure enough, results of various opinion polls published a few days later showed Americans' support for the war on Iraq actually hardening, even though most respondents said they believe that there will be "a significant number of additional U.S. military casualties." At this point, dead Iraqi civilians didn't seem to matter at all. Ledeen, an adviser to the State Department under President Ronald Reagan and author of "The War Against the Terror Masters" and "Tocqueville on American Character," appeared to have his finger on the pulse of a large group of people -- a group, I might add, whose views sometimes baffle me. Even military officials are warning that Americans might soon be confronting military carnage not seen since the Vietnam War. As of yesterday, a little more than a week after this supposed "cakewalk" of a war had begun, 57 coalition force personnel had been killed, 21 were missing and seven were being held as prisoners of war. About 589 Iraqi civilians had been reported killed and 4,500 reported injured. Among the victims of errant missiles were Iraqi babies. Exactly where was this upbeat chant to bomb on, as indicated by the polls, coming from? "We did not choose this war," Ledeen told me. "Terrorists have been killing us for 20 years plus, and this is the first time we've really responded. We are reluctant to engage in war, but once we start fighting, we fight to win." Loser, he said, is a very bad word in America. "Everything in America hinges on success, and we don't have an awful lot of time for losers," he said by way of explaining the American mind. "People who come to this country tend to believe in rapid advancement. If people get in the way, we say, 'Get outta my way.' Most Americans have always been in a great hurry. We believe we can take it with us and that the most successful people will get the best accommodations in Heaven. We believe successful people are the chosen people." And yet, Ledeen's criteria for "winning" the war on Iraq make losing seem far more likely. During the briefing at the AEI, he said, "If there is not a democratic government in Iraq in a year or so, we will have failed." At this rate, however, it appears that a war could still be going on. Ledeen told me later that he believed American support for the war would drop "only if it becomes clear that we are being badly led or find out that we have been lied to." So, keep an eye on who, if anyone, is really in charge of the war, as U.S. officials continue second-guessing their own military strategy. And be on the lookout for those weapons of mass destruction -- the reason given for waging war in the first place. After testing 10 of their best intelligence leads, U.S. forces have so far uncovered no substantial evidence that such weapons exist. Not finding any would amount to, say, a credibility-buster bomb. "[Alexis de] Tocqueville called us warlike," Ledeen said, referring to the French aristocrat who toured America in 1831. "And it's certainly not all positive. Ask the Indians. Ask the Mexicans. . . ." The list goes on and on. Of course, it's too soon to ask the Iraqis, because, we've been told, they are still too afraid of Saddam Hussein to speak freely. But some of them have not been too afraid to question us. "We ask why, why, why?" Ahmed Sufian, a physician at a Baghdad hospital, told a Washington Post reporter after scores of Iraqi civilians were killed or wounded in a market destroyed by what was believed to be an errant U.S. missile. "Why all this blood? They came to free us? This is freedom?" Maybe someday America's hawks will answer him. E-mail: ">[EMAIL PROTECTED] © 2003 The Washington Post Company ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.writersreps.com/live/catalog/authors/ledeenm.html THE WAR AGAINST THE TERROR MASTERS Why It Happened. Where We Are Now. How We'll Win. "These are books that transcend mere descriptive narrative and seek to fix a value—political, philosophical or strategic—on the events of 9/11 and their aftermath. A lively example of the type is WAR AGAINST THE TERROR MASTERS."—Tunku Varadarajan, The Wall Street Journal "Sometimes controversial, often provocative, always informative and insightful."—Bernard Lewis, author of WHAT WENT WRONG? TOCQUEVILLE ON AMERICAN CHARACTER Why Tocqueville's Brilliant Exploration of the American Spirit Is As Vital and Important Today As It Was Nearly Two Hundred Years Ago Truman Talley Books/St. Martin's Press, 2000 Alexis de Tocqueville's DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA describes early nineteenth century America in terms that provide an electric shock of recognition, despite our contemporary moral disintegration and government corruption. Michael Ledeen, American Enterprise Institute scholar and political analyst and former Reagan administration official shows that the American spirit which so moved Tocqueville is still very much alive and can be stirred in all of us. A model template for ethics, both for government and the individual citizen, DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA is needed, and Ledeen shows us how to follow it. "Michael A. Ledeen's perceptive and witty TOCQUEVILLE ON AMERICAN CHARACTER is concerned to promote a sharper and richer understanding of social and political life in today's America by bringing Tocqueville's wisdom to bear on contemporary issues and events.... Ledeen's understanding of the freedom that is at stake is Tocquevillian in richness and depth."—Times Literary Supplement (UK) "Mr. Ledeen is a fluent, informed, and clear–seeing writer, with a gift for gettin down to brass tacks while discarding implements less shiny...A rewarding guide."—The Washington Times MACHIAVELLI ON MODERN LEADERSHIP: Why Machiavelli's Iron Rules Are As Timely and Important Today As Five Centuries Ago Truman Talley Books/St. Martin's Press, 1999 "A fascinating and lucidly written little book."—The Washington Times "In MACHIAVELLI ON MODERN LEADERSHIP, Michael Ledeen has written a book of admonition and exhortation that deserves more notice than it is likely to get.... Brief but rich, MACHIAVELLI ON MODERN LEADERSHIP is a tribute to the matchless 'brutal clarity' with which Machiavelli spells out 'the political and moral requirements of leadership'.... Chilling...Ledeen has written an astute book about modern leadership."—The American Spectator "To illustrate his ideas, Machiavelli made it a practice to give two examples, one ancient and one 'fresh.' With a firm grasp on American contemporary domestic and foreign policy, Michael Ledeen has provided what readers of Machiavelli need today— modern or 'fresh' examples. Machiavelli for Moderns goes beyond the Medici and Borgias, reaches for intelligent and courageous examples in the corrupt worlds of modern government, business, the armed forces and religion, to reveal that Machiavelli's warnings are hammering on the door of the 21st century."—Sebastian de Grazia, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of MACHIAVELLI IN HELL "MACHIAVELLI FOR MODERNS slaps modern society across the face with ancient truths about human nature and power. Its honesty takes your breath away and its many stories ring true."—Philip K. Howard, author of THE DEATH OF COMMON SENSE "Michael Ledeen is a Renaissance man …in the tradition of Machiavelli."—Ted Koppel BIOGRAPHY Michael Ledeen, Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC, is one of the world's leading authorities on intelligence and international affairs, who has carried out some of the most sensitive and dangerous missions in recent American history. He has been profiled by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. One articled concluded that, "a portrait emerges of a man with an intense knowledge of 20th-century history, a deep commitment to democracy, and a willingness to be adventurous. This is a man who has helped shape American foreign policy at its highest levels." He has served as Consultant to the National Security Adviser to the President of the United States and as Special Adviser to the Secretary of State. A lecturer, scholar, businessman, and author, he has written twelve books. Forwarded for your information. 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