Lets Change Course

The longer this fight in the middle east goes on (and these savages continue to target innocent civilians) the more I think its time we seriously re-examined out commitment and strategy to the middle east.

As Daniel Henninger wrote so eloquently last fall, on the eve of the Iraq war buildup:

Like it or not, the American superpower is going to be in the world. Isolationism isn't an option, But there are two post-9/11 Americas on offer to the world.

You can either get the benign version of the American superpower, the one that comes with American values, such as a belief in self-determination even for the wogs, a version that most likely will include continued support for institutions such as the U.N. Or, amid derision and abuse, you may get the truly realpolitik version, which will be mainly about cold-bloodedly protecting the superpower's commercial interests, and will include little or no interest in the U.N. and similar platforms. Americans are patient. But they aren't punching bags.

Put it this way: Either you can have George Bush's America ("In Iraq, we are helping the long suffering people of that country to build a decent and democratic society"). Or Dirty Harry's America ("But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya--punk?").

I'm starting to think we pull Mr. Callahan out of retirement.