No national interest was cited as a rationale for America's Libya campaign; the action was justified solely on humanitarian grounds. This marks a fundamental break with past U.S. policy prescriptions for such military interventions.
With America mired in two wars and our economy in shambles, the chorus of declinists has returned. But the United States will endure because it is an elastic power.
The debacle in Iraq reaffirms the lesson of a thousand years ago: there is no such thing as a good crusade; divine missions are not conducive to sensible policy.
Winning wars in the future may depend not only on how many troops you can put into the field but for how long you can afford to pay high prices for gasoline.
War with Iran does not appear imminent and the prospect has not been a hot electoral issue. But Howard explains why war with oil-producing nations will likely be wholly unanticipated.
The much-vaunted surge has made Iraq safer. But more boots in the desert is not the only reason security has improved. As U.S. forces get ready to leave, we have to face some inconvenient political realities.
