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It has been occurring to me lately that it is quite possible this is something that the U.S. cannot win. I think being remembered in the history books as an administration that lost two wars (Iraq and Afghanistan) weighs more heavily than the prospect of making more money (I understand both Bush and Cheney already have fortunes). This is not to say that they aren't susceptible to greed; I'm sure they are. Although they will likely be out of office when (and if, I suppose) America admits defeat, they will certainly be the ones to blame for it. (Notwithstanding my overconfidence in the short-term memory of the American mind.) But what real direct influence can either of these men really have out there in the field? You have thousands of American troops, millions of dollars of military hardware, and the American superiority complex to boot.
I'm quite certain there are many servicemen and -women who are working very hard at their jobs--many commanding officers trying to win these wars. Do you think that they don't have any real resources to do their jobs? Are Bush and/or Cheney sabotaging their efforts?
Remember, no one has won a war in Afghanistan. Ask the Russians about their hard lesson. Iraq is hardened by years of war with Iran. Both of these places have harsh environments and geography. When was the last time America lost a war? Can they afford such a loss?
Here's my paranoid mindset: America is desperately trying to seize what control it can in the world, knowing full well that their influence may soon wane. Looking to China alone, America is freaking out at the idea that they may soon no longer be #1.
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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön
Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot
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