"You know what? I find that scary and depressing. We're playing out, in our Zone microcosm, events in the wider world."

In your dreams:) The wider world doesn't fight with words, it's bullets and brute oppression. As analogous perhaps, but therefore why is this so bad. Why shouldn't we reflect what is actually happenning, [in a symbolic way]. Doesn't it indicate we are looking at the problem, rather pretending it isn't there?

As far as picking on Bowser, I think he simply a easy target. But maybe we should be more careful with the little pup:).

"I fear Pyrrhic victories ahead. I fear that we'll lose ourselves as we transform America from the doughty little republic that brought democracy and liberty into the world, into a global hegemony that must forever impose its will by force. I fear that the true American values won't survive the necessities of empire."

I watched a program on C-span about what we are doing in Afghanistan, it doesn't seem like a Pyrrhic victory there. Sure we are going to have some problems in Afghanistan, people in general are probably attempting to focus on the good side of things opposed to dwelling on any negative aspects. But looking at it broadly it's probably most likely that our operation in Afghanistan will be seen as a great accomplishment.
Also saw History program on Saddem. What in little shit, he is. Sooner he and the rest of his hideous family are removed, the better. The Mob are a bunch boy scouts in comparison. And Hitler seems mildly eccentric in comparison; and Stalin, a leader dedicated the welfare of his people.
It seems that Saddem's main problem, is his lack of power, if he were to get more, he could really cause wholesale misery.
We, the world, must get rid of this mad dog (I don't mean Bowser:)- the sooner the better for the Iraq people. We, in the US, of course, must take a course which serves our national interest. Therefore, it makes sense to plan carefully, and execute it so there is the least danger to our nation.