Carrots 'n sticks

VANCOUVER Sept. 16 - - The fallout from last week’s terrorist attacks are far reaching sending ripples through every nation on the planet. To control the situation and to rid the world of this evil the world’s lone super power is going to have to use both the carrot and the stick.

Immediately NATO came to the defense of America invoking Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. This gesture stipulates that an armed attack against one or several members shall be considered as an attack against all. Consider this a down payment to the US for 50-plus years of protection for the nations in NATO.

But more carrots may be necessary to get the needed help in practice. Germany, France, and Italy are already backing away from the harsh language of war that US leaders are using. If they don’t help they will be nothing more than modern day appeasers letting a modern evil, terrorism, slip through our fingers.

And what of Russia, China, and Japan? A variety of carrots might be needed. Japan is still struggling with a decade long economic decline and can be easily bought off. China and Russia have a vested interest in eliminating terrorism. Russia has known the fear of terrorism on its own soil. China has the 2008 Olympics coming up which has target written all over it.

In the Middle East the situation is more complex but carrots and sticks will still be useful. Pakistan has been an easy nation to motivate with carrots-they are quick to act in hopes of a lifting of trade sanction. The region is already like a larger Dodge City and a trade of money for use of land bases and air space is easily bought in such a place.

Other somewhat moderate nations in the region such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan are going to be motivated by carrots too. Intelligence and wriggle room with the region as a whole can be bought here and other terrorists groups can be dealt with.

The carrots of peace for Palestine and unwavering support for Israel will be enough to motivate Arafat to give up some of his thugs while enjoying the fruits of Israeli intelligence.

As for the rogue nations like Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Libya there is only one motivator-the use or the threat of the iron fist of US military power. Weaker nation’s like Syria and Libya are easily scared simply by the threat of massive force.

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