At the end of
the 18th century a “European Spring” swept through France, on the
heels of the American Revolution. This
movement, in the largest and most influential country on the Continent, promised
the end of monarchs and the beginning of the rights of man. The experiment was short lived and ended in
horrible bloodshed as an unbalanced democracy without developed institutions
ate its young.
In the political vacuum that followed, a
military genius small in stature with an unbounded ego, united the French
people and influenced many others. For
those who had nothing and the fledgling middle class shopkeepers trying to
grasp a purchase, his vision of a modern Roman imperialism was enticing. Equality for all, governed by the rule of law
appeared worth the price of a glorious death with a guaranteed pension for the
family. Many were Roman Catholics who
feared the Protestant heretics from Britain and Sweden and the Orthodox
Russians most of all.
Napoleon
Bonaparte kept Europe in flames for almost 20 years. His ideology was shared by commoners in all
corners and abhorred by the political elites. Napoleon’s propaganda spread
throughout Europe in the form of pamphlets.
The information was never true but always inspirational and
inflammatory. At the beginning of
important battles all the languages of Europe could be heard among the
assembled soldiers fighting for Napoleon.
Geographical borders meant nothing as French victories carved out new
principalities that were handed out like candy to Napoleon’s family and
favorite generals.
The Vatican States
were conquered and the Pope fled. Napoleon was excommunicated from the Catholic
faith as an extremist not worthy of the church’s support. Britain stayed out of the fray until the end,
paying other monarchs from
Prussia, Russia, Saxony, and Sweden vast sums of money to fight the evil
that sought to end the status quo. Spies
and assassins worked behind the scenes with impunity, blowing things up and
killing political leaders.
This short,
incomplete summary of the Napoleonic wars has many parallels to the rise of
ISIS in the Middle East. While there are
numerous differences as well, my point is not that history repeats itself. I simply believe it is a dangerous mistake to
treat ISIS as a terrorist organization like the al Qaeda of the past. The point is also to remember that social and
political change took time in the West and will take time in the Mid East.
ISIS sees
itself as a legitimate Islamic State. It
holds territory, runs municipal government, collects tolls, exports oil, passes
laws and executes enemies. It is more
like the Taliban on steroids, a phenomena similar to Napoleon that seeks to
conquer and rule a large geographical area in disarray. ISIS is self contained, does not depend on
outside funding and raises an army by promising glory, sexual partners and a
purpose in life to dissatisfied young men.
Militarily, ISIS is run by former Iraqi military Sunnis, trained by the
United States back in the day.
In my view the
United States should follow the British example from the Napoleonic Wars and
stay removed from this singularly Islamic conflict as long as possible. Let
those countries most affected by ISIS do the heavy lifting. This is a battle
for the heart and soul of Islam with multiple agendas and forms of government
in play. Threats to our homeland are
minimal. If we take the ISIS bait and increase
our military presence it will prolong the conflict and accomplish little. With ISIS, patience and backseat containment
are the best course.
During the
Napoleonic Wars, our country minded its own business, completed the Louisiana
Purchase with the French and began the march West that made us into a great
nation. During the ISIS wars, we should
concentrate foreign policy on Russia and the Far East, leaving the Mid East to
sort out its own Napoleonic moment.
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