Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
“hard power” and “soft power.” Hard
power assumes that military might is
the best way to get what you want. Soft
power respects the infl uence of some-
thing less tangible: goodwill. Winning
the “hearts and minds” of our would-be
enemies, and improving the so-called
“Brand of America,” makes it harder for
foreign terrorists or bombastic leaders
to mobilize people against us. Imagine
a US president presenting himself in a
way that makes it impossible for the
leader of a country we're at odds with
to demonize America in order to stay
in power. Imagine using our military
to build bridges and highways instead
of blowing them up. It'd be better for
the innocent people who live in those
places (not to mention better for our
troops). While this might seem a little
too “touchy-feely” for our militaristic
society, it's less expensive—and cer-
tainly less destructive—than hard power.
If we can soften the way we wield
our power, we might fi nd some solu-
tions that work better for us...and for
the rest of the planet. Is this naive?
Maybe. But as we've seen, it's clear the
opposite approach has its fl aws, too.
Even when people around the
world are frustrated by our policies,
they're still inspired by the ideals
of America. And, after nearly four
decades of travels through political
ups and downs—even when I talk with
Salvadorans whose families were torn
apart by US-funded soldiers—it's clear
to me that people across the world
want to like Americans. My travels have
taught me that we have friends every-
where ready to put the past behind
them and to once again be inspired by
both our ideals and our leadership.
to justify acts that have alienated us
from many of our allies and swollen
the ranks of our enemies.
Every empire in history has been
plagued by angry forces on its fringes
that refused to play by the rules.
Romans were pestered and ultimately
defeated by barbarians. The British
dealt with and lost to colonial Ameri-
can guerilla patriots. The Habsburgs
were plagued by what they derided
as “anarchists”...and were eventually
defeated. And today, if you're hugely
outgunned—as all enemies of America
are—you get creative. You shoot from
the bushes like we did when we fought
the Redcoats. Sure, we might like our
enemies to follow our rules…to line up in
formation so we can carpet-bomb them.
But our enemies know that if someone
decides to fi ght the US, they have two
choices; be dead, or be “a terrorist.”
In our generation, America risks
going broke and selling its soul to fi ght
its “War on Terror.” The problem is
that there's always been terrorism and
there always will be terrorism. It's a
technique, not an enemy. And because
the targeted “enemy” is a technique,
you can fi ght a “War on Terror”...but
you cannot win it.
On a recent visit to Washington,
DC, I heard lawmakers using the terms
