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The introduction to the Roger Ames translation of “The Art of Warfare” tells us about the ancient Chinese writings dating back to 403 BC:
“The Sun-Tzu, or ‘Master Sun,’ is the longest existing and most widely studied military classic in human history.”
With a period of continuous warfare lasting hundreds of years, Ames writes that,
“Scores of small, semiautonomous states had joined in an ongoing war of survival, leaving in its wake only the dozen or so ‘central states’ (chung-kuo) from which present day ‘China’ takes its actual Chinese-language name. By the fifth century B.C., it had become clear to all contenders that the only alternative to winning was to perish.”
That was the reality at the time when the famous texts were first written. They have been studied and put into practice in some form or other ever since.
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The military strategies and philosophy put forth by Sun-Tzu are considered equally helpful to expansive states (superpower) as well as lesser forces. In modern times, however, it appears that the weaker sides in conflicts have been more adept at employing its tenets. It has been widely maintained that communist North Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap was well-versed in “The Art of Warfare”. Many claim it was in fact, THE blueprint for plans leading to America’s ultimate withdrawal from Viet Nam, allowing the communist north to defeat the democratic south.
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In today’s world of weapons of mass destruction coupled with the brewing global- war between the West and Islamic-fascism, we see once again that civilization is reaching a tipping point where “the only alternative to winning is to perish.” Make no mistake about it- our enemy’s intent is to win, or die in the attempt. Back in 1996, Osama Bin Laden wrote in his “Declaration of War Against The Americans”:
“Those [Muslim] youths know that their rewards in fighting you, the USA, is double than their rewards in fighting some one else not from the people of the book. They have no intention except to enter paradise by killing you…Those youths will not ask you for explanations, they will tell you singing there is nothing between us need to be explained, there is only killing and neck smiting.”
I’m not sure where the potential points of some liberal-esque peaceful “compromise” can be found in such statements.
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The first chapter of “The Art of Warfare” thus begins:
“Master Sun said: War is a vital matter of state. It is the field on which life or death is determined and the road that leads to either survival or ruin and must be examined with the greatest care.”
The ancient writer follows with a discussion of the means by which one could gauge the outcome of war, denoting certain main criteria and questions to be used in
“assessing their [each combatants’] relative strengths.”
Today’s essay considers the first point to consider in war.
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Master Sun tells us:
“The first of the five criteria is the ‘way’…The ‘way’ is what brings the thinking of the people in line with their superiors. Hence you can send them to their deaths or let them live, and they will have no misgivings one way or the other.”
Translation: Which leader has the support and will of the people? How long can a war continue without the support of those behind the combatants? Sherman knew the answer. Truman knew it. General Giap knew it too. Certain Americans in the sixties knew the answer as well. Intentional or not, they became Giap’s allies back here in the homeland. Without the “way”, chances for victory became greatly diminished. When support for the Vietnam War collapsed, it took with it any likelihood of winning.
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The enemy we face today is fully aware of this recent history. If they can outlast us at the current front in the war, Iraq, they will achieve a great victory. They know full well that if they can sway American public opinion heavily enough against the war effort, they WILL elect politicians with campaign pledges to “bring our boys back home.” America will be in retreat. This is the goal of our enemies. It is the goal of today’s still-radical, graying/balding sixties hippies and the rest of their ilk (i.e. Cindy Sheehan, Hollywood "experts"), along with their present-day more youthful (and equally misinformed) left-wing counterparts.
Each act and protest intended to erode public support of our effort in a very real war brings our enemy one step closer to victory– as does every campaign speech given by by today’s current crop of Democratic presidential wannabees– along with Republican Ron Paul.
What will be left for the ultimate loser in the contest of our time? As I stated above, given the circumstances of the epoch in which we presently live, “the only alternative to winning is to perish.” Don’t they get it?
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Article III, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution states, “Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.” You’ve got to believe that those watching the present political process from their caves and mountains and mosques must feel rather comforted by each word uttered about the war by those Democrats who would be president. If they can just hang tough till next January…