HUMINT: When at war, it’s best to objectify your enemy. A few wars ago, an American might’ve expected their government to dehumanize their enemies for them. Not anymore America. Your government isn’t willing to objectify your enemies any longer. The reasons for the shift are many, but that’s not the point of this piece. The point of this piece is to acknowledge the shift and introduce a, “do it yourself” attitude to objectifying your nation’s enemies during war. But be careful, if you screw up the objectification process, you’ll probably end up making a symbol out of your enemy and if that happens, the symbol will undoubtedly be used against you.

HISTORICAL ANALOGY: Let’s get started. The easiest way to objectify your enemy is to grab a dusty American history book. Flip its pages back to a few wars ago when American leadership identified their enemies by name and had no qualms about defeating them. After reading a paragraph or two, the similarities between your enemies, your parent’s enemies and grand parent’s enemies will surface almost immediately. If that sounds too easy, it really isn’t. Don’t be surprised. You’ve inherited more from your family than you think. It’s no coincidence the kinds of people who would’ve killed your ancestors are similar to the people who would like to kill you. Rhetorical excuses to commit acts of violence against a free people are remarkably similar. But be careful, no historical analogy is precise. Flaw mongers may find a difference or two and use those differences to exalt your enemy to hero status. It’s common sense [to people that hate you] that if you’re not 100% correct, the opposite of what you believe must be true.

TRANSFER DISGUST: A harder method to objectify your enemy is one that requires creativity. Ask yourself “what filthy animal does your war time foe most closely resemble?” The idea here is to transfer the disgust of one animalistic object to create an enemy object. This is much harder than it sounds. America has a vocal contingent of animal lovers who strive to liberate all species of life through domestic bliss. Most animal lovers are going to fight you on this project. Be prepared. Adding bad behavior to the scenario might give you a pass. For example, an oversized hairless monkey that stinks might be gross enough to do the trick. If you’re a cartoonist, add some fangs, demon horns, blood shot eyes and greenish skin. But be careful, if your final sketch looks like Shrek, your kids will fall in love with your enemy.

EXPOSE LIES: An even harder method to objectify your enemy is one that requires analysis. Ask yourself “where does my enemy get their confidence to attack my country and countrymen?” If you’re willing to try this technique, prepare to get dirty. Your enemy’s thought process is a swampy mess to wade through. Most of the reasons why your enemy is your enemy in the first place developed through mental gymnastics alien to you. The idea here is to exploit every difference. When your enemy angrily exclaims something’s black, it’s probably white, or at least gray. Realize that they’re looking at America and hating it from the outside. They probably don’t even know the first thing about you. They live where they can lie about you without evidence or consequence. But be careful; don’t feed into your enemy’s hateful rhetoric. No one is more aware than your enemy that free people have a healthy skepticism of their own elected leadership.

SYMBOL DESTRUCTION: And lastly, you can help your enemy objectify themselves by destroying their symbols of hate. This is the hardest technique of all to sustain. By contrast; historical analogy, transferring disgust, exposing lies and symbol destruction, the latter is the most dangerous and most expensive. In every situation where your enemy makes a move, consider reacting opposite to what they expect. Depending on how distorted a view of you your enemy maintains – you may react opposite to what they expect naturally. But be careful; don’t become predictable.

CONCLUSION: If true justice is to be found through war, it will only reveal itself after victory. America, you’re at war.