Air University Review, July-August 1984
Colonel William R. O'Rourke, Jr.
I ENJOYED your editorial about a paradigm crisis (March-April 1984) and would like to offer a few other thoughts on the matter.
To begin with, there is so little new in human phenomena. What appears new is really a better understanding of what has always been. Professor Daniel J. Boorstin, Librarian of Congress and a leading American historian, outlined it beautifully when he pointed out that each new discovery discloses hitherto unimagined realms of ignorance. He goes on to make the point that the great obstacle to progress is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge.
Our increasing reverence for a world view with the United States as the centroid leads us to unwarranted illusions of knowledge. As a result, we tend to undervalue the strength of lesser enemies, and therefore it is not difficult for them to surprise us. Iran and Lebanon are but recent examples of our myopia.
I would suggest that many of our recent military tragedies have been mainly the result of an irrational atmosphere brought on by heightened tensions. How else can one explain the Mayaguez incident? The "enemy" in these encounters with the United States is astonished with our preponderance but encouraged by our lack of direction. That's why our elephants are always stepping on thorns!
We must also not ignore the fact that mass political, ethnic, or spiritual movements breed fanaticism, fervor, and hatred. As such, they produce irrational people who tend to do irrational (from our point of view) things. It is very difficult to defend against a saboteur who plans to give up life to carry out an attack. In this kind of atmosphere, each enemy soldier becomes a personification of our best precision munition. Our unsophisticated enemy becomes sophisticated by an act of will. This is not a new phenomenon. However, it is one the American paradigm was not previously willing to accept. It must be remembered that all paradigms leave out a great deal in the interest of neatness, so we should not be too critical of this error. After all, when one is contemplating the consequences of nuclear war, it is hard to keep the full continuum of conflict in focus.
Sad to say, I don't see us getting smarter and don't know that we can. There is a certain vulnerability that comes with world power roles. Unfortunately, the more powerless we feel, the more we tend to question our processes. Our best course is to keep the faith and sustain an open attitude of inquiry.
Hickam AFB, Hawaii
Contributor
Colonel O'Rourke is Director of Programs, DCS Plans, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces
Disclaimer
The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University.
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