Not the free jazz CD, but something very else a-tonal.
Samuel Huntington's T he Clash of Civilizations served neo-libs and neo-cons for some time. It characterized aggressive U.S. foreign policy as absolutely necessary. But neglected to rationalize the transformation of local society from democratic to neo-feudal. Now we have the sequel: Terrorism and Consent, by Phillip Bobbit. A Clinton Democrat, and friend of Henry Kissinger. Bobbitt describes how immensely vulnerable are we and our European brethren -- citizens of the democracy-loving, human-rights-advocating, consensus-based states of the world -- to those of opposite viewpoint. That is, to third world states who intractably hate and fear us. No indication that some might find his dichotomy controversial, or that our enemies intractability might be tempered by less aggressive behavior on our part. Bobbitt confidently insists that we face utter intransigence in the form of deadly harassment farmed out by enemy states to private enterprise mercenaries. Their sights not upon our military forces but upon ordinary citizens.
We cannot win such a war, he assures us. We can only strive not to lose. How? By inviting and embracing a massive expansion and militarization of U.S. police forces. Frustrate Terror they will by rooting it out and expunging it, day by day by day. As means to this end we must create a new political system based upon what Bobbitt calls strategic law. Until now we had law to protect citizens from crime and the excesses of local power, and strategy to deal as required with foreign powers and their citizens, and separate the twain have carefully remained. Required now is their un-separation. Emergent, a new legal-strategic system designed to revere democracy simultaneously as it enables military-police forces to guide and protect us without interference. Including eavesdropping, torture and rendition of whomever, whenever and wherever seems appropriate.
I sense that Bobbitt's guide is not addressed to me. Rather it constitutes reportage to members of the wealthy class of what they have already signed off on -- a dish he serves as palatably as possible.
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