Who’s Next?
Iran continues to build its nuclear capacity, while North Korea has apparently returned to its evil machinations and is putting back together what little it agreed to dismantle.
This is the poisoned fruit of the Bush administration’s tree. Remember phrase “punish the innocent and reward the guilty?” Sure, Saddam’s government was guilty of many things. But not WMD. And certainly not of 9/11. But better to show strength, flog a perceived threat (and clean up daddy’s unfinished business and snag a little oil), than actually tackle a serious enemy.
By serious enemy I am referring to the two “Axis of Evil” countries that would entail serious military operations to subdue, and even greater resources to control over the long term. Our military has chewed through billions of pork barrel project dollars, including absurd amounts on ‘Star Wars’ technology, at the expense of better pay and benefits to recruit more soldiers to the ranks, or practical technologies to protect the troops in the field.
As America’s coin in the world declines, other countries will slip into the resulting vacuum. China, with its economic buying power. Russia, with it’s kleptocratic power. It’s a dark gloom into which we slide, even with a changing of the guard expected in Washington. And the spirit of change, while an instantiatable ideal in America, will in now way auger for a sea change in the threats to America and the world from fanatics who care more about their power than their people.
Maybe we’ll need those nuclear space lasers and Star Wars technology after all…