I should hope anyone who thinks long and hard about this considers the tradeoffs and the uncertainties. I expect there will be conflicts of opinions and uncompromisable debates between honest people who will not agree, and to a great extent there is always the unpredictable effect of the unknown and luck. We have no choice but to learn as much as we can and take the counsel of those wise ones among us we have chosen to consider these issues. Even then, we will make mistakes, and victory is ever assured.

What we must avoid is decisions based on emotional response, apocalyptic visions, religious and patriotic fervor, preconceived notions of how the world is, and should be, and the confusion of dissent with treachery. Having gotten into this mess was an unfortunate, but not unforgiveable or unsalvageable error. I supported the war once, too, remember? The refusal to accept advice and correct mistakes and to adjust for changing conditions has led to this catastrophe. There is a difference between resolve and determination and the sheer stubborness of refusing to admit an error.

Cortez burned his ships so that his men would have no choice but to win, or die. We are burning ours out of spite.