A Different World?
Wow. The world seems like a completely different
place than it did just months ago. Earlier this
year, we stood poised on the brink of war, with all
the trepidation and uncertainty that such a
position instills. Did Saddam Hussein have weapons
of mass destruction? Would he use them if the U.S.
invaded Iraq? Would al Qaeda strike in retaliation?
Elsewhere in the Middle East, the ongoing conflict
between Israelis and Palestinians continued
unabated. And in Asia, nuclear dragons slumbered
uneasily. Kim Jong Il's bravado about North Korea's
nuclear capabilities became ever more blustery, and
the longstanding tension between nuclear-capable
India and Pakistan crackled like static electricity
on a bone-dry day.
Now, still not even halfway into 2003, a war has
been fought and won. A ruthless dictator has been
deposed in Iraq, and efforts are underway to
install a democratic government in a country that
has been ravaged by violence and oppression for
nearly 40 years. The al Qaeda masterminds of the
9/11 attacks and the USS Cole bombing have been
captured.
In Israel, homicide bombers still wreak havoc, but
a new roadmap to a permanent peace between Israelis
and Palestinians—which could see the
establishment of a Palestinian state as soon as the
end of this year—has the two sides making real
progress toward an end to their conflict. In North
Korea, Kim Jong Il has grown noticeably quieter
since U.S. and coalition forces swept through Iraq.
In recent weeks, the Communist regime has even
expressed
its willingness to participate in negotiations
to end the nuclear standoff on the Korean
peninsula. And finally, in
today's news, peace seems to be blossoming in
southern Asia as well. India and Pakistan announced
that they have agreed to restore all diplomatic
ties and transport links—including a
resumption of cricket and field hockey competitions
between the two countries. If they can meet
peacefully on the playing field, then there is
certainly hope that they can resolve their larger
conflicts.
Since September 11, 2001, I have grown
increasingly nervous about the geopolitical state
of the world. The devastating 9/11 terrorist
attacks seemed to have blown out the doors of
Hades, releasing all kinds of ghouls and banshees
around the world. I thought it was only a matter of
time before nuclear fire bloomed somewhere on the
planet. Amidst all the Orange Alerts, I felt
certain the next 9/11 was just around the corner.
Of course, that all might still happen. But
comparing today's daily news with that of a few
months ago, it seems like a different world. While
knocking on wood, I'll go out on a limb and say
that it seems the storm is receding. And though
many might disagree with me, I give a fair share of
the credit to President Bush for his decisive and
relentless pursuit of peace through superior
firepower in the War on Terror. Without a
significant show of strength—a dedicated
effort to prove that we will defend ourselves, that
we will defend peace—there would be nothing to
keep the demons at bay.
©2003 Michael
Strickland ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED
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