The Catholic Church is under assault. A secularizing West, the encroachment of Islam into Europe, and the sexual-abuse scandal all threaten the Vatican's ability to influence the masses. The Church's response will be felt worldwide.
America still retains its innovative edge over China and India. But as long as Washington continues to handpick winners and losers, our preeminence is in jeopardy.
Over the centuries, the causes and justifications for war have evolved. But we remain caught in a Westphalian mindset, even though the nature of today’s substate threats demands an altogether-different mentality and a new breed of soldier—or at le
Rather than whining about the Continent’s military spending, the United States should allow the Europeans to bear the consequences of their actions. That means leaving NATO to the Europeans.
Counterinsurgency is not a cure-all. Local allegiances will always trump the might of the invader. Washington’s insistence that the troops turn Kabul into a functioning democracy will only erode the military's fighting spirit.