Off and on, we come across ‘expert opinion’ stressing the goals of ‘saving the western civilization’ and ‘deterring Russia and China’. The language used implies clearly that ‘western civilization’ here has undisguised, in-your-face geopolitical motivation.

‘Civilization’ and ‘deterrence’ is in fact a very strange combination of notions, tempting us to dig deeper into the matter.

One assumes that, in geopolitics, it is ‘just another day at the office’ for one power to attempt to deter another. If two powers are in a state of unstable equilibrium, but not yet openly at war, attempts to deter one another would go on. Such is life. Certain lines – red or otherwise! – must not be crossed, weighty pronouncements must be made, and ‘swords must be banged against shields’. All this is standard stuff which foreign office trainees must learn, and upon which their ‘superiors’ must base their upward mobility.

Physical power is the one deterrent we all know about, starting from our experiences in school. Financial power is another deterrence. But what has ‘being civilized’ got to do with all that? Makes you wonder.

I would be deterred by a big guy carrying a big stick – regardless of whether or not he seems to be ‘civilized’. I am also deterred by a growling dog – regardless of whether or not it is fed and groomed by a ‘civilized’ owner. Chengiz Khan attacked other countries with brutal physical force, without any claims of possessing ‘higher civilization’. Before the sack of Rome, Alaric behaved far more sensibly than the ‘civilized’ ruling Roman elite of the time.

Indeed a resplendent, vibrant, creative civilization attracts others, does not deter them. If a ‘civilization’ is aiming to deter others, then what does that imply for much-touted ‘civilizational values’ and ‘soft power’?

We know that power flows through the barrel of a gun. Today do culture and civilization also flow through the barrels of a guns and missile launchers?

Something is surely wrong here!

Historically, have the ‘civilized’ always won wars?

How do we explain the very recent history of Afghanistan? Which ‘civilization’ won? What did the ‘civilized west’ achieve there? Whom did they manage to deter? For how long?

The fact is that words ‘civilized’ and ‘civilization’ are being used as propaganda jargon by some very uncivilized people in the west. This is happening at a time when the world is waking up to the reality of multiple civilizations with deep historic roots. Looks like some people just don’t get it.