Pubdate: Tue, 02 Oct 2001 Source: Jacksonville Daily News (NC) Copyright: 2001 Jacksonville Daily News Contact: http://www.jacksonvilledailynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/216 NOW A REAL WAR FACES THE NATION Most people are having a little trouble adjusting to this new kind of "war" that the United States is waging. Basically, we understand "war" as shooting, bombing and, after the brief Persian Gulf War, high-tech visual displays of our military prowess. But the newly declared "war on terrorism" has been fought to this point with words, acts designed to forge international coalitions and behind-the-scenes "police" actions against individuals and groups suspected of having involvement in the hijacking of airliners that were then turned into guided missiles targeting Americans and American interests. Our newest enemy is not necessarily a nation, but a madman by the name of Osama bin Laden and an uncounted legion of shadowy figures sympathetic to radical Islamic endeavors. In their contorted minds, they are fighting a "holy war" against Americans and others who do not accept their beliefs. But at least the focus of America's newest "war" is centered on the memory of the horrific events of Sept. 11. Until our nation was galvanized by the breath taking assaults, the question "How's the war going?" would usually be answered with another question: "Which war?" After all, in recent years Americans always seem to be declaring war on something or the other in entirely different ways. Notable among our various "wars," of course, is the so-called "war on drugs." This is a campaign that has been waged for years on end, on any number of fronts and at an almost incalculable cost to taxpayers. For that investment, the public gets constant reminders of the small victories in individual battles. Law enforcement agencies are fond of trotting out the confiscated contraband every time they pull off a big drug raid. Now there's nothing wrong with authorities showing off the results of good police work, but we all know that the overall war on drugs is only managing to stem a trickle of what is a flood of narcotics into this country. It is a war that we are losing in large proportions. Then there's the nebulous "war on porn." Many Americans are outraged at the material available for public consumption and in all forms -- from films, to music, to printed publications, to Internet sites. While we do not in any way condone pornography, especially that which involves children, this, too, seems to be a war that is being lost. To "win," undoubtedly would require doing away with a rather crucial portion of the U.S. Constitution. Still others have a lesser-publicized crusade (war) to do away with illiteracy. They favor such measures as school choice to improve the rather shaky education provided in some public school venues. But if anyone has any illusions that progress is being made in the war on illiteracy, he or she needs only to listen and watch television new reports, sports telecasts or even read newspapers (we admit that this paper has produced some doozies in the recent past and probably will see others in print despite our best efforts to corral the millions of words that we process). So it seems obvious that Americans always are willing to declare war on any number of the ills of our society. But this newest war comes with higher stakes. Americans demand a solid response to the deaths of all those thousands of innocent civilians. And in fashioning the retribution, more lives may be lost. We must all hope that this real war, which has so many unconventional aspects, will be fought with more conviction, efficiency and positive, lasting results than the aforementioned "wars" against foes that also cannot be easily cornered. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens