Americhilles Heel

Why does it seem like most of the world hates the United States (US)? Why is the US fighting in Afghanistan? Iraq? What's the trouble with Iran? North Korea? Venezuela? To Mr. Joe Average, the answers are either illusive or unimportant. Yet they highlight a major issue: Americans are generally ill-educated in world affairs. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected and time zones seemingly compress, Americans can no longer afford this viewpoint. Enter the Air Force Cyber Command (AFCYBER). The newly created AFCYBER is responsible to secure our nation by employing world-class cyberspace capabilities to control cyberspace, create integrated global effects, and deliver sovereign options. That's fancy-talk for using and controlling all things electronic, such as radios, radar, lasers, and televisions. By assuming a public education role, AFCYBER could provide a home to the dormant governmental education responsibility. Think of it as continuing adult education on current events. The education is necessary for one major reason: to safeguard the American public will. As the most important part of the nation's power, public will supplies the strength to that power. In a world of readily available imagery and increasing computer production capability, the enemies of the US have an influential tool to shape that public will. As proof, think of how the public will suffered from the beheadings in Iraq or any Osama bin Laden video. Experienced (i.e. older) folks will remember the powerful Blackhawk Down images from Somalia. Even more experienced folks will remember the Tet Offensive from Vietnam. Indeed, the enemies of the US use their powerful perception tool to influence Americans. However, this influence can be countered. By educating Americans on world issues, the public is better able to come to their own conclusions regarding a conflict. Thus, support for long term-conflicts, like those in Iraq or Vietnam, would be resistant to exterior influence. This would resu