Geez--Spengler had it in 2003, for crying out loud.
In the intelligence war, Islamists have a distinct advantage. Among the ranks of Islamist radicals are thousands who have studied in the United States, speak serviceable English, and can move with ease in American society. How many field agents of American intelligence can move at ease in the Islamist milieu? German and British universities once produced spies who could speak half a dozen Arab dialects and recite the Koran from memory. Today’s only superpower cannot recruit enough Arabic translators to handle routine intercepts.
To Spengler, the linguistic-lacuna is understandable:
In terms of linguistic and cultural capacity, the US today commands what may be the lowest-quality clandestine service of any great power in history. Why don’t more Americans learn foreign languages? Turn the question around: why do they forget the languages they already know? The children of immigrants almost invariably lose the native language of their ancestors. One finds German festivals in Wisconsin with lederhosen-wearing brass bands, Weissbier and bratwurst, but no one who can form a single German sentence. Italian-Americans march through the streets in what they imagine to be native costume to honor the birthday of Columbus, without knowing more than a few obscenities in a southern dialect. Folk came to America precisely in order to shed their culture. More precisely, they fled the tragic destiny of their cultures. Immigrants to America were the poor or the rebels. Not the Milanese but the Calabrians, not the Berliners but the Bavarians, not the assimilated Jews of Germany but the persecuted Jews of Russia made their way westward. These had little stake in their own cultures and no connection to the high culture of the countries they abandoned.
Well, that's nice. But it doesn't cut the mustard when thousands of lives are at stake.
In terms of linguistic and cultural capacity, the US today commands what may be the lowest-quality clandestine service of any great power in history. Why don’t more Americans learn foreign languages? Turn the question around: why do they forget the languages they already know?
ReplyDeleteFirst, talk to local school districts who quick to cut foreign language programs. When I was in high school, one could learn Latin, German, and even Russian!
Second, are you supporting multiculturism as the vehicle to fight against terrorism, i.e. having the intelligence community becoming more skilled in understanding the language and customs of our enemy to best take them out? My, a Renaissance man.
This is why, Spengler's last sentence in his essay is the most correct. America needs to find people who know how to fight tribal wars because they themselves are tribalists (our tribalists, though, and on salary).
Spengler--The solution? Get someone else to do the dirty work who understands how to fight tribal war.
Absolutely NOT. I don't want "anointed" local proxies taking their American handlers for a ride. We take care of our own business.
Clarification--The "this is why" statement was a comment in response to Spengler's essay, it is not my comment. I just wanted to present it, followed by my reaction.
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