Just noticed this quote from The Wealth of Nations in a recent Glennzilla post on Slate’s series of articles by liberal hawks on why they got Iraq so wrong (a series I simply had to finally stop reading, so transparently self-serving were the explanations offered):
In great empires the people who live in the capital, and [...]

Sarkozy: “the West must beat the Taliban in Afghanistan no matter the cost” (in Canadian soldiers). He claims “whatever the cost, whatever the expense, we cannot afford it”, and then describes conditions before additional French help is provided. “Ceremonial duties” indeed. AP’s take: “The pledge underscores his determination”. And with a straight face, [...]

When the Manley Report on Afghanistan was released I was flabbergasted that it suggested that 1,000 troops could make a difference to, well, anything. It was a policy without a principle. And that suggestion seemed to me a completely dishonest or ill-informed representation of the mission. More from Fred Kaplan on the [...]