The Art of Nuclear War and the Wisdom of the Ages
An ancient reminder of the insanity of nuclear war games
The threat of nuclear war is not on reality’s radar yet.
It’s not fantasy, fiction or in a land far away. It’s a lot closer now than during the Cuban Missile Crisis, just off the Florida Keys.
This is not 1962 again. This is a whole new world of political and militaristic insanity.
It’s a delicate time when America suffers from buffoons elected or posted in positions of leadership. And when a military-industrial complex is trying to maintain the status quo.
Our leaders and generals act like it’s just a game of “Nuclear Chicken.”
Recalling The Wisdom of The Art of War
In the 5th century BC, a Chinese military strategist wrote a treatise devoted to the tactics of warfare. For centuries this handbook remained the lead text taught in a set of military classics from East Asia.
The Art of War by Sun Tzu is now a modern day strategy classic for Western military theory. In East Asian culture, the general is revered as both a historical and military legend.
In the book, Sun Tzu analyzes everything from weapons to discipline to environmental conditions. He also included scenarios for espionage and intelligence operations.
That’s why his strategies and teachings gained interest across the globe for its advanced military training.
Despite the heavy war angle, the Art of War does proffer insights into peaceful resolutions.
Here are some hopeful peace-oriented offerings that might help diffuse our current situation:
The wise warrior avoids the battle.
Amen, brother!
After living in Asia for over 30 years, avoiding conflict is a lesson well learned. It goes against the feisty culture of head-head confrontation in the West. But it really is an art.
Our current military overlords are hellbent on proving that the mighty U.S. Armed Forces are still on top of their game. Of course, their preference is for proxy wars, where non-American soldiers die for us.
I guess that is avoiding battle. It just doesn’t seem to fit the old standard of the American Way.
There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.
The key strategic word is “prolonged.”
Now apply this ancient wisdom to Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. And to what end are we supporting confrontations in Ukraine and the Middle East (Palestine and Lebanon)?
Unfortunately, ancient wisdom fails to counter the gains made by defense contractors, generals, lobbyists and members of Congress.
But for most Americans, these drawn-out conflicts just drain the tax coffers.
In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.
Maybe, in a strange way, Sun Tzu was an optimist. Or just a Stoic.
There is both a ray of sunshine and a dark cloud hanging on these words.
In troubled times, like during economic downturns or chaotic wars, looking for opportunities is a way to dig out of the muck. If you dwell on loss, then it finds you again and again.
There is potential to innovate, grow or improve the circumstances.
However, nuclear war discards this optimism. It’s all over in a fast heartbeat.
Public Action or Annihilation … TBD
In short, we have two primary options: Do we reflect and take action or do we just genuflect.
Sorry to be so dour, but it’s an urgent matter. Even if the ICBMs don’t fill the skies.
Returning to our wise man of millennia past, let’s concentrate on the takeaways for action and postponement of annihilation in the nuclear age:
Avoiding War: Sun Tzu emphasized that the highest form of generalship is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Let’s call it deterrence, not subdue. Just call on Congress, old and new, to negotiate peace.
Strategic Patience: Waiting for the right moment to act or not act is crucial. Never using nuclear weapons requires incredible common sense (see Stanislav Petrov). To be honest, Vladimir Putin is the one with patience today.
Terrain and Environment: Adapting to the geopolitical landscape determines which areas to defend or strike. Proxy wars and nuclear fallout are not strategic, they are fatal. Why is climate change eclipsing nuclear war overtures?
For Sun Tzu, the overarching goal was to achieve peace by using strategic methods.
For us, the overarching goal is to deter the use of atomic bombs and never encounter a nuclear winter or climate hellfire.
We cannot fail to displace and defeat the sources of military madness: embedded in the Pentagon, the State Department, the Department of Defense, Congress and Neocon institutions.
Do what you can people to stop the lunacy.
Coda
There is no song to set to as the backdrop of this message.
Nuclear war is horror. We should be screaming our heads off and marching in the streets. Even if the best case scenario plays out.
We’ve lost the fear of nuclear war. We’ve lost a sense of reality on the ground. We’re numb due to the overwhelming overload of negative news coverage, hyper inflation and dealing with culture wars.
America is self-absorbed. An excess of arrogance and exceptionalism pretends that our glory days are still in sight and on the horizon.
The other world has already given up the ghost.
Even Sun Tzu might have understood that.
[Photo Credit: The Art of War bamboo book vlasta2 CC 2.0]
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