Peaks and Valleys

It's clear that the U.S. and the UK are now floundering.

Blair speaks of Iran and Syria either helping quell Iraqi violence, or face further isolation. In a satirical movie about current events, this would be a laugh line.

The U.S. plans to send a naval armada into the Gulf "to intimidate the Iranians." But the Iranians will make fun and hold demonstrations, and maybe send a few unmanned drones across the bows.

The recent election results have changed much. To many people it's all good news, of course. And maybe they are right. Maybe America's position in the world must get much weaker before we can reunify with any resolve and make her stronger again. It's all part of a much greater historical cycle that Bush's best attempts to defy could not change. The neocons have all abandoned Bush, and with good reason place the blame for how things are now going on his incompetence. Probably this fizzling retreat was inevitable, and the lesson should not only be that we should never go to war without an exit strategy, but never go to war until the American people feel the terrible necessity of it in the marrow of their bones.

But should Iran gather nuclear weapons and reshape a few Asian and European strategic alliances, thus recasting the economies and relative strengths of nations around the world and in particular favoring regimes that are violently repressive and reactionary, that will happen soon enough.