E3FINAL ESSAY
Joe G
Timon of Athens
Final Essay 3
English 101 Section 3226
Professor O’Connell
Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens provides a metaphor to what is happening
today, during this century in the United States of America and our
overwhelming relationships with other countries throughout the world.
The United States of America was known as a “Superpower” to the world,
with its wealth, extravagant fortune 500 Companies. Also the best
Navy in the world, with several fleets of ships to name a few types,
aircraft carriers, destroyers and landing ship tanks (they carry
thousands of troops, tanks, ammunition, food etc.). Highly
technological anti-air craft, sea to surface missiles, nuclear war
heads and torpedoes. The most sophisticated technology there is. In
Andrew J. Bacevich book The Limits of Power, he writes of our failure
“to meet the standards” (p. 124) the shortcomings in Afghanistan and
Iraq to “deliver a knockout blow” (p. 125). In an article by Russ
Hoyle (The Nation), Bacevich says “we can’t remake Afghanistan and
don’t need to. And Bacevich is bold to say “deny Jihadists the
wherewithal” and “stop shipping billion of dollars to the Arabs” and
goes on to recommend that we implement a serious energy policy
(something Obama campaigned for while running for office and is
dedicated to doing it). At the beginning of the play in Timon of
Athens, is America at what appeared to be the finest of times, but
both Timon and America fail. Bacevich warns Americans that we have a
military crisis, and one of the main dilemmas of the United States
military, according to the Weinberger-Powell Doctrine “criteria for
deciding when and how to use force” (p. 129). In Jennifer Lovens’
article (she is an AP White House Correspondent), Obama’s war council
focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan. General Stanley A. McChrystal
requested 10,000 to 40,000 more combat troops. At least Obama has a
methodical review of how to overhaul the war, and he did this with his
war cabinet team, V.P. Joseph Biden; Gates; Secretary of State Hillary
Rodham Clinton; Afghanistan/Pakistan special envoy Richard Holbrooke;
Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; General
David Petraeus, commander of the region including Iraq and
Afghanistan, and by videoconference McChrystal. Timon is the main
character of the play; Alicibiades says “For pity in virtue of the
law, and none but tyrants use it cruelly” (p. 51). Bacevich argues
that America was going to war with the wrong plan, and Rumsfeld “tied
the hands of commanders while our troops were in contact with the
enemy” (p. 137). The apparent causes of action according to the
majority of Americans would require withdrawing from these unplanned
and careless wars. America could then refocus on its internal
problems, balance, adjust and focus on our nation’s future before it
spirals into a pit of destruction or collapse. Just like the Senators
in Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens, who acted out of greed and abuse of
power when they affronted Timon and Alcibiades. And Alcibiades army
stood at Athens gates to destroy the land, the Senators with no other
recourse to prevent the imminent slaughter, admitted their
wrongdoings, pleading with Alcibiades to only seek revenge on the
guilty and spare the innocent. Alcibiades had to leave Athens and
make a plan to invade Athens so he could fix what he felt was wrong.
Likewise, the United States government should own up to its own greed
and the abuse of power that were utilized during the inception of
these wars. It became imperative to remove Americans involvement from
these injustices’ and foreign states, time to reevaluate the
debilitating hardships of the war on our nation and focus on the
restoration of this country to a higher moral standard.
Bacevich is correct in his assessment that the solution for the Long
War, is not that a bigger army is required, but rather altering the
foreign policy and “…giving up on illusions of grandeur… [and]
reigning in the imperial presidents who expect the army to make good
on those illusion.” (p.169). Current United States government
behavior likens that of the character Timon, who, is overextending his
wealth, learns to late the futility of his gift-giving that made him
desirable only as long as his money held out. Just as Timon’s friends
deserted him like a bad habit because of the lack of fortune, the
effects of peacekeeping efforts of the U. S. military will dissolve
once the troops are removed. It will be argued that America has an
obligation to stay until conditions stabilize however, ultimately it
will be the responsibility of the Iraq and Afghanistan people of those
states. We can compare the behavior of Alcibiades to the United States
military as we too invaded Afghanistan and Iraq which did not ask for
our help. However, Americas agenda was to capture Osama Bin Laden,
and because this “war on terror” unnecessary and wrong fatalities to
both civilian and soldiers. The character Flavius wanted to lead
Timon in the right direction and warn him of his financial problems
and to be of service to Timon in any possible way, however, Timon
chose not to listen. Flavius was a noble and respectable man of good
character who was sincere in his efforts to help Timon. In the
beginning of the play Timon is on top of the world, a wealthy man
enjoying his life with many so called friends. Slowly, but surely
Timon is pained with incredible debt and becomes homeless. Sadly,
none of Timons’ friends were around when he needed them the most, and
he just couldn’t understand why none of his friends were willing to
help him. He began to view man through a new pair of glasses, as
animalistic and felt mankind deserved to be cursed because of a lack
of morals and values. Timon once enjoyed the gift of giving and
helping others, with the exception Apemantus. One of Timons biggest
mistakes was the ignorance of not budgeting or seeking advice on how
to handle his money. If the United States does not stop “confusing
strategy with ideology” (P. 165) the United States can and will
decline in its rich military stature.
President Obama stated on February 27, 2009 at Camp Lejeune, his plan
for removing troops from Iraq, he claimed that “…by August 31, 2010
our combat mission in Iraq will end. The mission of the remaning
troops after that time will no longer be combat but rather, to support
the Iraq government to achieve”… sustained diplomacy on behalf of a
more peaceful and prosperous Iraq.” Another way Timon and the United
States relate is the wasting of money; America is in a recession with
about $200 billion a year spent on a war that appears hopeless and
aimless. America should follow the Weinberger-Powell Doctrine since
it was created to make sure another Vietnam would not happen, “the
United States would fight only when genuinely vital interests were at
stake” (p. 129). The United States should not follow the example of
Timon or Alcibiades. Alcibiades believed he could get justice by
invading Athens and Timon was wasteful and lost hope in humanity.
Flavius is the character America should follow to be loyal and attempt
to help Timon make good choices. Our government had not planned on
being 11 trillion dollars in debt, Obama’s; budgeting plan is to cut
that number to 3 trillion in the next 7 years. Americans are waking
up, by no choice of their own. So as Americans wake up, by losing
jobs, increases in college fees, more homeless people of middle class,
we have to have hope and not give up.
When research that could be funded by neutral civilian agencies is
instead funded by the military. Knowledge is subtly militarized and
bent in the way a tree is bent by a prevailing wind. The public comes
to accept that basic academic research on religion and violence
belongs to the military, scholars who never saw themselves as doing
military research now do; maybe they wonder if their access to future
funding is best secured by not criticizing U.S. foreign policy: a
discipline whose independence from military and corporate funding
fueled the kind of critical thinking a democracy needs is now
compromised; and the priorities of the military further define the
basic terms of public and academic debate.
As a proud American and Vietnam Era Veteran of the United States Navy
(1972-1975), it is my opinion that the Vietnam War and this Iraq and
Afghanistan war cannot be compared to each other. First of all
Vietnam was one country though divided, South Vietnam and North
Vietnam. Secondly the Taliban and Al Qaeda, are spread out in Iraq,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen. Also, would not be surprised to
know they are here in the United States of America, they could be in
other Arab countries as well as Great Britain. We can not have it
both ways, Americans are spoiled and we are use to having it our way.
There is hope with President Obama and his cabinet, our biggest
problem is with the House of Representatives and the Senate, they
cannot and apparently will not work together. It will only be when we
come together as the great Nation we are and brainstorm, have open
communication at the Senate and House of Representatives, with all
Congresspersons, the Pentagon. It is no longer an issue of
Republicans, Democrats or Independents, it is an issue of saving our
great County America the Beautiful and set a wrong right and make a
safe and secure world for the future children of the world.
Reference:
Bacevich, A (2009). The Limits of Power. New York: Metropolitan, Holt
and Company. New York.
Shakespeare, W (2000). Timon of Athens. (F.E. Dolan, Ed.). New York:
Penguin Books.
Obama, B (2009, March 27). Remarks of President Barack Obama –
responsibility ending this war. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statement
Hoyle, R. (2009, April 1) The Nation “We Can’t Remake Afghanistan”.
Retrieved October 10, 2009, from http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090413/hoyle
Loven, J. (2009, October 7). Obama, war council focus on Afghanistan,
Pakistan. Retrieved October 9, 2009, from
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091007/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_afghanistan_93