Cultures and Warfare

When Ignorant Armies Clash By Night

Nations not infrequently fall into the trap of thinking that the armies and military of other nations are relatively useless.  It can trap them into a false sense of security.  It can also make them more bellicose and trigger-happy, persuading them that going to war is a small matter.  It will all be done and dusted in five minutes.  Or so we are told.  Nationalistic fervour is never a reliable guide in such matters. 

The history of nationalistic fervour leading to underestimating one's enemy is not exactly garlanded with laurel leaves.  Norvell De Atkine, a U.S. Army retired colonel with eight years residence in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt, and a graduate degree in Arab studies from the American University of Beirut, acknowledges some of the spectacular failures that have resulted from underestimating an enemy.  In an article entitled, Why Arabs Lose Wars, he writes: