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戦争をする理由
ベトナム、グレナダ、そしてイラク---。アメリカはなぜこれほどまでに戦い続けるのか。
その答えを考えるためのキーワードが3つある。
「善良さ」「貪欲さ」そして「中毒」である。
Goodness, greed or addiction?
In Japanese there is an expression which, roughly translated, would be "the fool with his single idea." In this column I have certainly earned that title. I used to write about lots of things here, but since my country began its war on terrorism I have become obsessed with it, and can't seem to write about anything else.
And here I go again.
But this time I also want to engage in a bit of self-advertisement. I have just published a book, the title of which, translated into English, would be "Why Does America Fight So Many Wars?" (Shobunsha). Much of its content has appeared, in shorter form, in this column. I hope some ST readers, especially those who disagree with me, will find time to read it.
But I must confess, I have not satisfactorily answered the question in the title. Why indeed?
There seem to be three answers: 1) America's goodness, 2) America's greed, and 3) America's addiction.
U.S. President George W. Bush's answer seems to be that America is a very good country, and is morally obligated to fight evil. Christian fundamentalists around Bush even believe that America is God's chosen country, and fights wars in God's name. Some of them even believe that the Middle East wars are the very wars prophesied in the Bible, and that fighting them will help bring on the return of Jesus Christ and the end of the world.
But others say that oil is the key. Given that Iraq is said to have enough oil to supply the United States for 100 years, and that the U.S. president and vice-president are big oilmen, surely oil is a factor. But there was no oil in Vietnam. And there was no oil in Grenada, which the United States invaded, and there is no oil in the People's Democratic Republic of Korea, which the United States has been threatening to invade. So oil isn't everything.
Some say it is the weapons industry, the so-called Merchants of Death. Of course, they are the ones who profit the most from war, no matter who wins, and no doubt their influence is huge. But that doesn't explain the enthusiasm for war shown by much of the American public, and by many GIs as well. Big money can buy votes, but it can't buy enthusiasm.
Some say that war is not a pleasure but the most intense experience one can have, more intense than drugs even. Not only the noble parts - the bravery, the brotherhood - but also the horrible parts - the brutality, the ugliness. Many people who have been in combat (it is said) find life after that drab by comparison. Combat, especially ground combat, is compared to sex, and killing to orgasm. (Perhaps that's why ground combat is so often accompanied by rape, and why the male-dominated military always keeps women out of ground combat.)
If this is true, it is only true for the invader, not for the invaded. Remember that since the Civil War (1861-65) and the smaller-scale Indian Wars at the end of the 19th Century, America has fought all its wars outside of its borders.
So which hypothesis do you choose: goodness, greed or addiction?
Shukan ST: Nov. 14, 2003
(C) All rights reserved
- Goodness
- 善良さ
- greed
- 貪欲さ
- addiction
- 中毒
- fool with his single idea
- ばかの一つ覚え
- have become obsessed with 〜
- 〜に取り付かれてしまった
- And here I go again
- そしてまたその手の話だ
- want to engage in 〜
- 〜をさせてもらいたい
- Why Does America Fright So Many Wars?
- 『なぜアメリカはこんなに戦争をするのか』(晶文社刊)
- confess
- 告白する
- Why indeed?
- 一体なぜなんだろう
- (is)obligated to 〜
- 〜する義務がある
- evil
- 悪
- Christian fundamentalists
- キリスト教原理主義者
- God's chosen country
- 神に選ばれし国
- in God's name
- 神の名において
- 〜 prophesied
- 予言された〜
- help bring on 〜
- 〜をもたらす助けとなる
- return of Jesus Christ
- キリストの再来
- Given that 〜
- 〜を前提とすれば
- oilmen
- 石油関連の事業者
- factor
- 要因
- Grenada
- グレナダ(1983年に侵攻した)
- People's Democratic Republic of Korea
- 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国
- has been threatening to invade
- 侵攻をちらつかせている
- Merchants of Death
- 死の商人
- no matter who wins
- だれが勝利しようと
- huge
- 非常に大きい
- enthusiasm
- 熱狂
- GIs
- 米軍兵士
- as well
- 同様に
- votes
- (選挙の)票
- intense
- 強烈な
- drugs
- 麻薬
- noble
- 崇高な
- bravery
- 勇気
- brotherhood
- 同胞愛
- horrible
- 恐ろしい
- brutality
- 残虐性
- ugliness
- 醜さ
- drab
- 単調でつまらない
- ground combat
- 地上戦
- killing to orgasm
- 殺人は性的快感に(例えられる)
- is so often accompanied by rape
- レイプ事件がよく起こる
- keeps 〜 out of 〜
- 〜を〜から遠ざける
- Civil War
- 南北戦争
- Indian Wars
- 先住民であるインディアンとの戦争
- hypothesis
- 仮説