Wednesday, 05-24-2006

The Global War on Terrorism - Community Discussion Series #3

Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt featured in BBC news on April 10, 2006:

The Long War on Terror

Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt is the former chief military spokesperson in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Kimmitt is currently the Deputy Director of Plans and Policy for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1976. He holds Master’s Degrees from Harvard University, the School of Advanced Military Studies, and the National Defense University.

Kimmitt discussed "The Long War” in the Middle East at the World Afafirs Council's third community discussion event. Kimmitt first acknowledged the American presence in the Middle East; currently there are 130,000 troops in Iraq and another 16,000 in Afghanistan. The main military goal in the Long War is to eradicate al-Qaeda and the numerous other groups in the region who are affiliated with the Islamic militant movement. Kimmitt outlined four steps to curb terrorist activity in the region.

1) It takes a network to defeat a network. Not only do terrorist groups have training camps, but they also have sophisticated networks to get money to finance their endeavors. The internet has been instrumental in this process. The U.S. military is a small part of the network it will take to defeat al-Qaeda. Instead, there must be a greater reliance on soft power institutions such as the U.S. State Department, the intelligence community, or the banking industry.

2) Eradicate sanctuaries and safe havens. Bin Laden has merely found new hideouts every time his position is compromised. Many localities in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa are insecure, making it difficult to extend the rule of law. If the U.S. military can maintain a presence in these areas, then not only will bin Laden have more trouble relocating to safe havens, but the military will be in a better position to react expediently.

3) Help others help themselves. It is important to foster a close military relationship with Middle Eastern governments. Islamic militant groups have stated that once all Western influences have been eliminated from society, their focus will then turn to local secular governments. Thus, al-Qaeda is a threat to Middle Eastern governments themselves. It is imperative the U.S. train local militaries and ensure that counter-terrorism measures are being taken by local governments. The U.S. also encourages reforms so that oppressive governments do not give rise to more extremist groups.

4) Reposition American approach to the Middle East. Once the region is stabilized, the majority of U.S. troops need to be pulled out so the newly stabilized nations do not become dependent on U.S. support. It is necessary to secure access to natural resources, materials, and other strategic locations, but this can be done with a much smaller force.

Kimmitt’s lecture was followed by a question and answer session moderated by Carol Kessler. The following questions were among those asked by the audience:

1) What do you mean by the generalization “The Long War?”

2) Why is bin Laden’s ideology so attractive?

3) Is the military concerned about torture and rendition?

4) Iraq is an invention of British cartographers, is there merit in dividing it along lines of ethnicity or religion?

Sponsors: KUOW 94.9 Public Radio

Co-presenters: Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council (BIAHC), CityClub, Global Partnerships, Initiative for Global Development, RESULTS, Seattle Works, and Washington Women Lawyers.