By Abner Bruno
New York Times best selling author, Benjamin Barber, discussed his reasons why the United States should not be in Iraq during his speech, “Fears, Empire, War, and Terrorism.”
Barber outlined his beliefs on American Foreign Policy focusing on interdependence, the politics of fear and the role of democracy. Barber said things are working out the way they are because of what he referred to as “global interdependence” and its role in society.
“No government can control HIV, nuclear proliferation, or weapons of mass destruction, we’re an interdependent world,” Barber said. “This government cannot keep the financial capital from going elsewhere and it can’t stop jobs from going out of the country. We need to recognize the interdependence of the world and realize that what affects some people affects everyone else. Either we all survive or none survive.”
Barber then turned his focus to 9/11 and the politics of fear.
“9/11 was truly a turning point,” Barber said. “It signaled the end of an American invulnerability.”
Barber said Americans believed they were isolated from the terrorism the rest of the world knew and 9/11 blurred the distinctions between the United States and the outside world. Between 1776 and 9/11, nearly 200 years, the U.S. had the capacity to exist separate from the rest of the world.
Barber regards terrorists as “desperate and powerless” and said because of this they create trauma and fear.
“Terrorists are a malevolent, non-governmental organization,” Barber said. “They pass in the night.”
He challenged his audience by asking, “Did the terrorists disappear after we took Saddam from power? How do B-2 bombers defeat suicide bombers?”
“These are asymmetrical forces,” Barber said. “What we have doesn’t defeat what they have. We’re making ourselves crazy. We paralyzed our own transportation system and hurt ourselves by doing to ourselves what Osama could not do to us.”
Barber said Americans are stuck in a rut and need different ways of going about the war in Iraq. He said the government needs to take its time in this matter and prevent small populations from siding with the enemy.
“We’re facing new and difficult enemies and using 19th century tactics,” Barber said. “It’s a war we can’t win.”
Barber insisted the government is fighting terrorism the wrong way.
“We can’t go after terrorists the way we do,” Barber stated. “We can’t blow up the world and take down governments. The only way they can hurt us is to play on our fears.”
His discussion attacked the United States’ aim to create a democracy in Iraq. He believes there was an illusion that once Saddam was overthrown there would be democracy in Iraq. However, what he said the United States failed to realize is democracy cannot be imposed on a country from the outside. He referenced our democratic society, stressing it was built not by the British who had ruled this country for so many years, but by those who fought for its independence and wrote the constitution.
“You do not create a democracy in another country,” Barber pointed out. “You can’t put a gun to someone’s head and force them to become democratic, democracy comes from the inside out not the outside in.”
Barber made suggestions on what he felt the U.S. should take into account.
“When you overthrow tyranny you get insurgency, chaos and anarchy,” Barber said. “It takes a long time, a lot of money and support to build a democracy.”