Romney and Gitmo

Mit Romney showed some interesting colors the other day during the Republican debate in South Carolina. In the midst of attempting to act tough on security he declared that not only is Guantanamo a good idea, but in fact, the U.S. should double the size of the institution.

That to me is an intriguing statement for many reasons. One, maybe he is privy to more information than I am, but no one besides high ranking government officials truly knows what goes on there. Sure it supposedly "houses" "terrorists," but the fact that the rights (Geneva Convention and U.S. Constitution) of not only foreigners but occasionally U.S. citizens are stripped there suggests that the operations of Gitmo may not live up to "Western" standards.

To me this is troubling not only because I believe in the ideals of the Geneva Convention and the U.S. Constitution, but because the image of the U.S. is suffering abroad. This not only affects overseas tourists, but this hypocritical, arrogant image of the U.S. is used a recruiting tool for groups such as Al-Qaida, Hamas, etc. It is easier to recruit in disparate countries if there is enough ammunition to enrage, and embolden the youth. Viewing the images and hearing about the stories of life in Gitmo has created a strong pipeline of potential suicide bombers and other types of terrorists. Image is a key a component in fighting a war of ideas.

In order to truly win this intangible war, it will take a global initiative that emphasizes diplomacy, education, and development. Diplomacy will ensure that lines between the West and the Middle East are constantly open, sharing intelligence, and disrupting terrorist training camps/activities etc. Education is key because many of the youth are brainwashed and recruited to be "jihadists" at Madrasas. If countries where Madrasas are popular began to institute new education policies (sponsored by a global task force) that debunk the hateful rhetoric found within the religious schools, then the stream of recruiters will slow considerably. In order to get the youth to attend these schools and not the Madrasas, there needs to be proper incentives given by the state. This could include free lower to higher-education, and increased chances of employment if students chose to attend these schools. If the U.S. and other countries help fund these types of programs, not only will the youth's status (wealth, social) improve as they grow older, but the image of the West will improve as well because of their partnership and monetary support. Finally, along the same lines, by helping countries develop economically, the chances of terrorist activities will decrease considerably. Economics is amazing in the sense that it ties people together through incentives. Trade not only creates economic stability in a capitalist system, but it also creates geopolitical stability as well. The more tied individuals and governments become with each other through commerce, the less likely physical aggression at any level will exist.

So, while Mr. Romney probably did not think his one sentence statement held this much meaning, I would suggest that it is very important for him and every other candidate to re-evaluate what the war on terrorism truly is, whats the best way to fight it, and how will it be won. If after much reflection Romney and others decide terrorists exist because they are jealous of the freedoms of the U.S. and furthermore its best to fight it byway of increased military action, then by all means increasing the size of Gitmo is a great idea. However, if Romney and others begin to reflect and note that Gitmo is causing more harm than good and that it is hard to win a military struggle against an intangible enemy, Romney and other Gitmo supporters may want to reevaluate what they will say when asked again about this issue.