Forty three members of Congress are cosponsoring a bill for the creation of a new cabinet department. The new office would be the Department of Peace.
What an idea.
To actually have a segment of government devoted to peaceful resolutions is exactly the kind of progressive thinking we very much need in this climate of military mobilization.
A Department of Peace is something that we should always have. It would be the counterpoint to the immense segment of government devoted to the military, i.e., the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the CIA, the FBI, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the four branches of the armed services. We have many outlets and resources to handle problems militarily, but only a few strong and legitimate peaceful agencies.
A strong military is important. But a Department of Peace is just as important. It would be the yang to the DOD’s yin. And, if this war is ever to be truly won, we need more constructive, peaceful agendas, rather than just military operations.
The war on terrorism is spreading. From Afghanistan to the Philippines, now to Yemen and the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, the U.S. is expanding its involvement. All of these places are suspected hiding spots for members of al-Qaida. People of this “death cult” need to be captured.
But, the war on terrorism is poised to move beyond al-Quaida, to tackling all terrorist threats around the world. This would include targets in Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc, etc, aiming at terrorists that are seemingly everywhere.
The terrorists are seemingly everywhere because they represent a problem that is seemingly everywhere. And the problem is systemic.
If you look at what is at the heart of many terrorist groups’ anger, it is usually poverty, lack of voice, lack of dignity. Yes, there are fanatics out there who need to be dealt with, but by and large people are pissed because of inhumanity, unfairness, or lack of cooperation. I’m not trying to paint these people as saints. I understand they have their agendas, but to label them as “evil” is just ignorant. We need to look deeper.
I’m aware that in this war the military must obviously be used. But, if they are the sole means of handling the problem of terror, the consequences are immense.
If the underlying causes of terrorist groups are not addressed, than terror cells will keep popping up. Then, the U.S. military will be involved in operations around the world ad infinitum – trying to chop down the terror weeds that keep coming back.
And if these missions go on and on, then you have constant military involvement in everyone’s life. There will be a never ending search for potential perpetrators. Who’se next? Where’s next?
This means not only will there be and increased military presence around the world, to both fight and prevent terror, but there will be constant paranoia on the part of the military as well. If t-cells keep springing up, as they will, then the whole world is going to become one big military operation. Our government will have to spy on everyone to make sure we’re not unsafe or dangerous.
And at that point the war on terror is lost because then there is no world worth defending. A police state.
The U.S. military budget for next year is $320 billion. But the war can’t be won solely through military means. In fact, it will never end unless more constructive methods are employed.
That is why creating a Department of Peace is imperative. And I’m not talking about an office that just throws money at people or at problems, but one that finds out why these groups are so angry. And then approaching the problem as if it was our own, which it is becoming.
Granted, some people you can’t talk to, i.e. Osama bin Laden, and Saddam Hussein. But, there are a lot of people you can. And that’s the place to start.
A Department of Peace that has legitamacy and strength is needed. Not just a token office, to be placated or ignored, but something that is vital for our continued survival and security. Something that has teeth.
A UN-consulted professor talked to me last summer about peace. He said that if you prepare for war, you’ll have war. And if you prepare for peace, you’ll have peace. I hope that the new Department of Peace is created. We need it if we are going to live in a world worth fighting for.
Bob Paschen is a senior in English. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].
