As I described earlier, the use of posture/submit behavior to establish social dominance is an integral part of our human biological heritage. It has always been a part of politics. In unthinkably ancient times, perhaps it might have been enough to successfully posture oneself into the role of an “alpha” of the group, but today the facts and complexities of life can undermine even the most talented posturer.

Ironically, one of the most complex undertakings in modern life—war—is an outgrowth of the posture/submit response. In effect, the object is to force the submission of an opposing side. Sun Tzu understood this when he explained that the highest form of victory was to win without fighting. Unlike Clauswitz who saw the object of war as either destroying the enemy’s will to fight or conquering their territory, Sun Tzu believed that victory was the establishment of psychological dominance over one’s foe.

In my last post I proposed that the War on Terror would be won in the international marketplace of ideas. I have also pointed out that the rise of posture/submit behavior as a substitute for honest and informed debate has crippled our national dialogue. So if the War on Terror is to be won by the side with better ideas, those superior ideas have a better chance of emerging if posturing is to be avoided. Right?

Wrong. The attacks of 9/11 were a form of posturing brought to a very high degree of sophistication. Terrorism is probably the most primal kind of warfare because it does not destroy armies or conquer territory. Its goal is dominate through fear. It is warfare reduced to its biological essence. Therefore, if we are fighting a war, we must act accordingly. There must be intimidation and mind games. The consistent result of Muslim defeat when pitched against western-style militaries has intimidated would-be attackers even though it also caused resentment that later “justified” violence. The rapid elimination of the Taliban government in Afghanistan was a heavy psychological blow to global Jihadists. It is clear from Bin Laden’s statements prior to 9/11 that he expected his Taliban allies to hold out against an American assault. The sudden collapse of the Taliban as a fighting force was a rude surprise to him and his inner circle. It made the case that the Taliban did not enjoy the protection of Allah as they claimed. This might have opened the door to devastating rhetorical attacks had the west been equipped to deliver them. But the distraction of Iraq has since allowed the Taliban to rehabilitate their reputation.

Truly intelligent posturing will not “dominate” by bombing civilians or making clumsy, violent gestures of punishment. It must be done with skill and (dare I say it) finesse so that it projects a sense of power that will not expand but shrink the pool of potential donors, supporters, friendly politicians, and terrorist recruits. If this War on Terror is truly a war, and if warfare has its roots in human evolutionary biology, then that biological mechanism—posture/submit behavior—is key to establishing an atmosphere where better, stronger ideas will take hold and triumph.