Well-educated military key to victory

Brains – not brawn ­– will be the key to creating stability in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Last week retired Army Col. Daniel Zupan spoke at the University of Montana about morality and war ethics. Instead of a stanch conservative who defended the government and all of America’s foreign policies, Zupan held many refreshingly liberal viewpoints and quoted numerously from Kant rather then using lingo and catchphrases borrowed from the Bush administration.

He spoke vehemently against torture such as waterboarding as a means of interrogation, said Guantanamo is “an affront to our values as Americans” and stressed the importance of citizens standing up for their opinions and protesting against government policies they deem unjust.

The UM alum who holds a doctorate in philosophy and is multilingual represents the type of soldier today’s U.S. military needs in order to be successful.

In an age of asymmetrical warfare where every street can be a frontline and fighting is against terrorist organizations rather than nations, traditional methods of brute force are outdated.

America has the weapons and advanced technology it needs; what the military should seek now are highly educated individuals trained in fields such as Middle Eastern politics, Islamic studies and languages including Arabic and Farsi.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, where troops often act as the local law enforcement, stability will come from the creation of a government people can trust, from the building of roads, infrastructure and schools and from the creation of jobs and a working economy.

This type of nation building requires much more then the knowledge of how to fire an M-16.

While branches such as the Marines often rely heavily on strength and force, others are moving in more intellectual directions.

In today’s military, critical thinking needs to be emphasized, diplomacy should be seen as a key form of defense and soldiers should be encouraged to develop a knowledge of local customs, culture, politics and religion. Without understanding the people whose towns and cities we occupy, we will never be able to assist them in creating stable societies.

“We live in a world that uses force and violence whether we like it or not,” Zupan said.

While many American desire pacifism, there are times when physical force is necessary and moral. But by having a firm ethical grounding, soldiers can complete their mission with as little loss of life as possible and can prevent appalling instances, such as the mistreatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, from again occurring.

Soldiers need rationality and patience over emotion and heated passion, and leadership that encourages respect and open-minded thought.

The more educated our military – from high-ranking officers to enlisted privates – the greater our chances for success and resolution from our current engagements.