Hence, the basic pillar of American foreign policy is “unconditional” and “ironclad” support for the dark arts and black magic. How petty the thought-process and rationale are for such a policy cannot be put into words. Nor can the indignation that is spurred at the sight of the pandering and silence towards a policy of black magic and dark arts and then to give free reign to such backwardness and ignorance be fully expressed. People have been displaced, lives have been destroyed, and futile wars have been started in order to create a cushion and a safe haven for nothing other than the practice of black magic and the dark arts. Moreover, one should ask whether it has been rational and wise to use human capital, scarce resources, and time to provide a cushion and a safe haven for black magic and the dark arts all this time.
Moreover, Washington’s effort to shape the world in the image of black magic and the dark arts over the course of the last few decades was a figment of imagination and the result of sheer stupidity more than anything else. Shaping the world in the image of black magic, lies, and the dark arts now have little to no relation to reality. As Pierre-Joseph Proudhon once said: “They would reconstruct society on an imaginary plan, much like the astronomers for their own calculation would make over the system of the universe.”
However, spreading lies and gossip is one thing. But to be stupid enough to fall for the lies and gossip and then refuse to change and reform once the lies and the gossip have been exposed is another issue. All of us have fallen for the black magic, dark arts, lies, and gossip one way or another. But intransigence and the refusal to change and reform one’s ways once the truth has been made clear is unacceptable.
For some folks, the ‘element of surprise’ creates anxiety and hypervigilance. Two parties who are pitted against one another are often anxious and fearful that the other side will initiate a “surprise attack” or a “sneak attack” in order to undermine the other side. But as Thomas Schelling argued, surprise attacks or sneak attacks are more a matter of decision rather than a matter of probability. It either happens or it does not happen. Certain actions and measures can be taken to affect the decisions as opposed to fretting over the probability of a certain scenario. Thus, anxiety and hypervigilance over the probability of a “surprise attack” or a “sneak attack” is largely a waste of energy and time.
There is also the issue of value systems and the issue of having certain beliefs and ideas about the other side. For the most part, Washington’s beliefs and ideas about what it perceives as its “adversaries” or “enemies” have been the result of misguidance and lies being propagated by a mischievous “third-party” to borrow from Schelling. Bringing in a “third-party” who increases the probability of conflict and war by spreading lies is exactly the scenario which game theorists and military strategists fear would happen. With these facts and points in mind, the onus is on Washington to dispel the effects and illusion of ‘black magic’ and to orient itself to the realities on the ground.
Adam A. Azim 