David,
I do think we make a terrific mistake by showing weak resolve. This is why, in spite of my ill feelings about going to war in the first place, I firmly believe we must stay the course to bring peace and stability to Iraq.
But credibility beyond brute force does matter. That's because there are always limits to how much brute force one can buy. And we appear to be at our limits now.
In the end, our success as a nation depends both upon our credibility as well as our resolve.
Keep in mind that Machiavelli lived in the time of city states run by monarchies. Republics were only emerging. His main work The Prince was really little more than a fawning tribute to his patron. In it he is quoted as saying: "A Prince is never lacking of good reasons to break his promise." In a democracy, that doesn't give me much comfort. Perhaps Mr. Bush does, indeed, subscribe to Machiavelli's advice - advice written five hundred years ago which explains how and why he's bungled the war.
Personally, I think we're due a President with a slightly more contemporary outlook on community life and foreign policy.
Current Events » in reply to As long as the credibity of our ability to make war is there, the rest does not matter.
Yes and no
The whole thread (38 posts)
- Kay: Intel Problems Hurt U.S. Credibility
- As long as the credibity of our ability to make war is there, the rest does not matter.
- The word parsing you guys do with Kay makes clinton so proud
- A Flawed Argument In the Case for War
- You don't need a reason to depose a scumball like Saddam Hussein, just an excuse. And ANY excuse will do. (n/t)
- He said, she said........
- This cartoon says it all