projecting

what do others see?

The United States brings about three dozen international officers (International Fellows) from allied and partner nations to learn alongside U.S. students at various joint professional military education institutions for their ten-month programs. At the National War College, students share the seminar experience following a two-month crash course on our civics, history, and geography. The overwhelming majority bring their spouses and children for the year. They share their insights on their countries, with the hope that they will come to appreciate our society and values, thereby strengthening ties between our militaries for the future. This “capacity building”-via shared knowledge and experience —has been a relatively inexpensive but invaluable investment over the past forty years.

You can imagine my discomfort when one of those officers opined to his fellow visiting officers at our first meeting nine years ago that they were taking their lives into their hands by living in the United States for a year. My head snapped around to face him after he cited the “likelihood they would be shot” while traveling to or from the College during that time period. This Southeast Asian officer had never been to the United States previously but knew a lot about the frequent shootings in this country. The conversation at our table of eight stopped for several seconds until, fortuitously, the official program for the hour began. However, this event left me troubled, stuck in my mind almost a decade later.

I have to wonder today how this year’s IF group is pondering their year here. Are these men (and occasional women) reconsidering or asking to return home (that happened with a couple of people after the 9/11 attacks)? Are they fearful of visiting the National Mall or the Grand Canyon with their kids? Do they worry about taking the second-graders to the grocery store? Are they telling their relatives back home to cancel visits during this year because they see so many of us selectively dehumanize anyone with a different skin color, different political views, or religious creed? How are they seeing this country asking that they join us in battling a danger posed by China’s expanding suggestion of an alternative governing style to ours?

We continue to see ourselves as the epicenter of the civilized world, yet our actions and words—across the political spectrum—evidence intolerance, distrust, and self-entitlement. Too often, we don’t care what others prioritize, but the consequences of this self-absorption are enduring, if not immediately apparent.

All of this, a quarter of a century after the 9/11 attacks, when so much of the world rallied around us, illustrates that the trajectory of history varies in response to behavior. It’s seductive to ignore that truth, but nothing is set in stone, domestically or internationally. Put in strategy terms, we would do well to reexamine all of our assumptions about the future.

Where is this leading us?

I welcome your reactions, rebuttals, queries, or comments. The purpose of this column is to expand measured, civil discussion so please chime in.

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Wishing you a healthy and satisfying weekend. Be well and be safe. FIN