155th Edition
This is the first in a new series. The WW Series. What Would (someone famous) Think, Do, or Say? Here is the first one:
WWET – What Would Einstein Think?
In addition to his scientific genius, Albert Einstein was noted for making numerous insightful and thought-provoking remarks about various topics. Perhaps his most famous was his comment about the weapons with which he thought World War III would be fought. He replied, “I have no idea, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”
I wonder if he would say the same thing today. My sense is he would have a revised opinion about WWIII. Today, wars are fought and watched in real time. Every action is filmed, studied and scrutinized. We evaluate strategies as they happen, expect immediate results, and demand knowledge of tactics before they are utilized. How might WWIII be different? Imagine even more real-time oversight of every action. Soldiers graded for their accuracy with every bullet. Every bomb and missile tracked and timed from launch to target. Objectives would be preannounced, battle maps available online, and the number of ordinances used and held in reserve would be counted and recounted in real time. There would be no surprises to either side, friend and foe alike. Accountability would soar to a much higher level. Combatants on every level could be fired at any moment for faulty decisions or errors in judgment or performance. And yes, some would still be in harm’s way.
Of course, Einstein would have a lot to say about drones. Drones will be ubiquitous on every battlefield. WWIII will be won or lost remotely on livestream TV. Only when one combatant runs out of drones or loses the ability to direct drone attacks will the war end. AI may be able to prolong the drone attacks long after human operators have been killed. Lasting peace will require the destruction of every last drone.
There might be no heroes in WWIII, only victims and endless proficiency reports automatically produced and disseminated daily. There may be no need for boots on the ground or conquering heroes because drones will have destroyed everything of any use to anyone. What would be the point of taking over new territory if everything has been destroyed?
Casualties, at least on the winning side, will be comparatively low. That’s the good news. Perhaps it is progress that WWIII will not result in nuclear Armageddon. Still, important unanswered questions remain. Will the Great Drone War lead to lasting peace? Do the means used in fighting a war affect the prospects for lasting peace after the war?
Would it ever be possible to have two countries who are seemingly on a collision course for war first go into a safe, state-of-the-art theatre and watch the virtual reality devastation of what an actual war would produce? Given the vastly superior military capabilities of the U.S., couldn’t they have shown with prophetic accuracy what would happen to Iran once hostilities commenced? Would Iran have negotiated for peace, avoiding needless destruction and bloodshed? That’s doubtful, isn’t it?
The U.S. along with its allies and enemies spend billions on building ever-more sophisticated ways to kill people. It’s mesmerizing to watch a series of pinpoint missile and bomb attacks obliterating a defenseless enemy. But I don’t see the valor in it. Maybe someday we will stop fighting and learn how to get along. Then we can redirect all our resources and creative energy toward technological advancements that will make the world a better place. That’s doubtful, too, isn’t it?
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Michael Kayes
*These views are my personal opinions and are not the viewpoints of any company or organization.