lots of other stuff, including defense, joins in.  Rob Paterson has a detailed look at this issue, along with an extensive review of America’s Defense Meltdown, on his blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

What America does confront are “people’s wars”. Our “enemies” are not states at all. Aircraft carriers are impotent when facing a guerrilla movement. So are high tech bombers and high tech fighters – so are high tech main battle tanks – so are conventional infantry. The battle field is in the minds of people. The more you use direct force, the more you lose. As it is the US has not won a single people’s conflict since 1945 but it keeps on trying.

What’s really depressing is that as a country dedicated to economic opportunity for anyone willing to work for it, individual rights, justice for all and malice towards none, we should have won them all.  Every one.

Attend Boyd08.

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