24 years after 9/11: War on terror has problems to overcome

Samuel B. Hoff, PhD

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Party polarization has divided Americans into rival camps, and the political middle has been lost. Eventually, such extremism can become part of the culture of American institutions, affecting the mindset and decision-making of personnel in those areas, including within the military.”

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On the 24th anniversary since the terrorist attacks against America killed thousands and exposed vulnerabilities, the United States can justifiably be proud of some accomplishments associated with the war on terror, including the elimination of top al-Qaida leaders, the reduction of threats in several areas of the world and due recognition for first responders in such emergencies.

The most recent major incident — the destruction of a boat carrying drugs and cartel personnel off the coast of Venezuela — demonstrates the continued aggressiveness by which the current chief executive and other recent presidents have viewed their charges after 9/11. The problem is that, if other features of the military are ignored, are deficient or are divided, ongoing operations against terrorist groups will suffer.

First, the Trump administration’s use of National Guard troops in domestic venues without request and in situations where the troops are not warranted has had several bad effects. It has negatively impacted military morale. And, most importantly, it has squandered critical resources needed for fighting terrorism.

Second, the Pentagon needs to be flexible and adaptive in meshing traditional military weapons with new technologies. However, recent evidence shows that the military is flunking in both areas. A cause for both is America’s abandonment of its manufacturing base. A just-released report that the military lacks essential items such as TNT can be traced to the closing of the last plant mass-producing it, in the mid-1980s. Additionally, defense-related production that is happening has largely ignored the lesson of Ukraine’s success against Russia: You can never have enough drones.

Third, U.S. progress in the war on terror has been assisted by the intelligence community. However, the loyalty of those organizations to America has not been reciprocated, as there have been several waves of structural overhaul and personnel changes since the George W. Bush administration.

The CIA was largely relegated to second fiddle by the creation of the post titled “director of national intelligence,” plus the agency was accused of missing 9/11 signals and was rebuked for its role in torturing detainees from military operations. It has taken a generation for the CIA to recover. Meanwhile, a recent story indicated that the Trump White House is minimizing the role of the National Security Council, instead relying on ad-hoc advice and impulsive actions by the president. In short, there can be no victory in the war on terror without the inclusion and sharing of accurate and timely intelligence to augment defense.

Fourth, there have been too many contemporary cases of presidents creating red lines not to cross, then ignoring transgressions. While the most notable current cases come from large-scale conflicts, there is every reason to believe that terrorist groups are taking note of America’s empty threats. Too, America’s failure to punish nations where genocide has been alleged can only embolden terrorist links.

Lastly, party polarization has divided Americans into rival camps, and the political middle has been lost. Eventually, such extremism can become part of the culture of American institutions, affecting the mindset and decision-making of personnel in those areas, including within the military. It would be tragic to lose our moral compass in pursuit of immoral dudes.

Even with these challenges, Americans should be thankful for our nation’s commitment to ensuring civilization’s future. The years since 2001 have only strengthened our collective resolve.

Editor’s note: Samuel B. Hoff, PhD is a George Washington distinguished professor emeritus and an internship director at Delaware State University. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.