Special Providence_ American Foreign Policy and How It Changed World - Walter Russell Mead

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chivalryofa medievaljoustoroftheorderlybattlefieldsofeighteenth-
centuryEurope,onwhichitwasconsideredbadformto attackone's
opponentsbysurpriseoratnight.Onedoesnottakeriskswithone'ssol-
diers'livestofightfair.SomesectorsofopinionintheUnitedStatesand
abroadwerebothshockedandappalledduringtheGulfandKosovowars
bythewayinwhichAmericanforcesattackedtheenemyfromtheair
withoutengaginginmuchgroundcombat.Theturkeyshootqualityof
theclosingmomentsofthewaragainstIraqmadea particularlypainful
impression.
Jacksoniansdismisssuchthoughtsoutofhand.Sinceforeignevil-
doershaveforcedusintowar,whatevercasualtiestheothersidesuffers
areself-evidentlythefaultoftheirownleadersratherthanoftheUnited
States.FurthermoreitistheobviousdutyofAmericanleaderstocrush
theforcesarrayedagainstusasquickly,thoroughly,andprofessionallyas
possible.Itis alsotheirdutytoaccomplishtheseobjectiveswiththe
smallestlossofAmericanlivestheycanmanage.Victorymustbea com-
mander'sfirstconcern;thewell-beingofhistroopsisthesecond.Arepu-
tationforavoidingcasualtiesontheenemysidewhereverpossiblewould
notenhancethepopularreputationofanAmericangeneral.
Thehistoryofthemore than1,25°armedconflictsbetweenU.S.
forcesandthetribalpeoplesofNorthAmericarevealsmanyinstancesin
whichAmericanforcesenjoyedsuperiorityintechnologyandfirepower
comparabletothoseintheGulfWar. 26 Therecordsroutinelyshowenor-
mous disparitiesin thecasualtiesofUnitedStatesand tribalforces.
I
TherewasneveranydoubtinthemindsofAmericancommandersthat
achievingsuchoverwhelmingsuperiorityandexploitingittothefullest
tosecuretotalvictorywaswhattheyweresupposedtodo.Toperishlike
GeorgeArmstrongCusterwasmorefoolishthanbrave.
Jacksonianopinion'takesa broadviewofthepermissibletargetsin
war. Againreflectinga veryoldculturalheritage,Jacksoniansbelieve
thattheenemy'swilltofightisalegitimatetargetofwar,evenifthis
involvesAmericanforcesinattacksoncivilianlives,establishments,and
property.Thecolonialwars,theRevolution,andtheIndianwarsallgive
ampleevidenceofthisview.Theconflictbetweenpro-andantislavery
elementsinKansaspriortotheCivilWarwasfoughtinthisspiritas
well.Sherman'smarchtotheseashowedthedegreetowhichthetarget-
ing ofcivilian morale, through systematic violence and destruction,
couldtowidespreadpopularapplause,becomeanacknowledgedfighting
strategy.