Communication on the Iraq war seems to have been dominated by catch phrases. Consider: “Shock and Awe,” “Cut and Run,” “Stay the Course,” “We’ll stand down as they stand up,” etc.
So it is refreshing to find some very thoughtful discussion on the issue of Iraq in the blogosphere.
Check out my friend Jeff’s blog post, “The equilibrium of war” for a great parallel between the philosophical prisoners dilemma and the current situation in Iraq.
If you don’t have time to read this long post (though I suggest you make time) here is his conclusion:
So what do we do? We change the rules. We find a new strategy that breaks the stay-or-go dichotomy. We stop bickering among ourselves, for God’s sake, about whether stalemate or defeat is the better choice. We apply some of that same American ingenuity that invented the assembly line, got us to the moon and gave us professional football. Come on, people. Ours is the smartest, most innovative culture on the planet. If we can’t solve a damn word problem, we don’t deserve to win a war.
Of course, there’s always one more option. We don’t want to live with a stalemate, we can’t figure out a way to change the rules. We can always alter the terms of the outcome. Turn our priorities around and learn to see a negative outcome in Iraq as a positive outcome for the United States. It’s not an appealing solution, but if we can’t find another, better one, well, it might be the only one we have left.
Brilliant.
By the way, if you don’t read Shape of Days, you should. Jeff bills himself as an “unsuccessful writer,” but his blog proves otherwise.
You’re very kind, my friend. But of course I mean “unsuccessful” in the commercial sense.