Comments on: Beginning The End Of America's Longest War http://www.chrisweigant.com/2011/05/09/beginning-the-end-of-americas-longest-war/ Reality-based political commentary Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:55:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: dsws http://www.chrisweigant.com/2011/05/09/beginning-the-end-of-americas-longest-war/#comment-14410 dsws Wed, 11 May 2011 11:33:25 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=3938#comment-14410 <i>I was thinking more of the USSR.</i> Ok, lesson learned: we'll be careful not to get drawn into a proxy war against the United States. Or from our point of view, call it "the lesson of Viet Nam". The "graveyard of empires" trope rests on three cases: the USSR, Britain, and Alexander the Great. It ignores at least two in between, as I mentioned. Alexander is too dissimilar in technology and tactics to be a useful comparison. Britain was fighting a proxy war against Russia, and the USSR was fighting a proxy war against us. I was thinking more of the USSR.

Ok, lesson learned: we'll be careful not to get drawn into a proxy war against the United States. Or from our point of view, call it "the lesson of Viet Nam".

The "graveyard of empires" trope rests on three cases: the USSR, Britain, and Alexander the Great. It ignores at least two in between, as I mentioned. Alexander is too dissimilar in technology and tactics to be a useful comparison. Britain was fighting a proxy war against Russia, and the USSR was fighting a proxy war against us.

]]> By: Michale http://www.chrisweigant.com/2011/05/09/beginning-the-end-of-americas-longest-war/#comment-14404 Michale Tue, 10 May 2011 18:02:15 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=3938#comment-14404 dsws, <I>Even though I have a relatively favorable impression of Obama's judgment on this, I insist that partisan Republicans have just as much of a patriotic duty to question his decisions critically as I did with Bush.</I> I completely agree... However, I insist.... no... I DEMAND that Republicans have logical and rational reasons to question the authority of the Commander In Chief... Not partisan or political reasons.. Michale.... dsws,

Even though I have a relatively favorable impression of Obama's judgment on this, I insist that partisan Republicans have just as much of a patriotic duty to question his decisions critically as I did with Bush.

I completely agree...

However, I insist.... no... I DEMAND that Republicans have logical and rational reasons to question the authority of the Commander In Chief...

Not partisan or political reasons..

Michale....

]]> By: Chris Weigant http://www.chrisweigant.com/2011/05/09/beginning-the-end-of-americas-longest-war/#comment-14402 Chris Weigant Tue, 10 May 2011 16:36:38 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=3938#comment-14402 dsws - I was thinking more of the USSR. Overextending itself in Afghanistan wasn't the prime reason their empire (or, if you're a Reaganite, their "evil empire"...) fell, but it was a contributing factor. No, they didn't have drones, but they had a lot of modern warfare capabilities. -CW dsws -

I was thinking more of the USSR. Overextending itself in Afghanistan wasn't the prime reason their empire (or, if you're a Reaganite, their "evil empire"...) fell, but it was a contributing factor. No, they didn't have drones, but they had a lot of modern warfare capabilities.

-CW

]]> By: dsws http://www.chrisweigant.com/2011/05/09/beginning-the-end-of-americas-longest-war/#comment-14398 dsws Tue, 10 May 2011 15:43:24 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=3938#comment-14398 Time for me to make it a bipartisan show of consistency: Even though I have a relatively favorable impression of Obama's judgment on this, I insist that partisan Republicans have just as much of a patriotic duty to question his decisions critically as I did with Bush. The founders were right to give Congress checks on the commander-in-chief power, in the form of budget authority over the military and the power "To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces", among other enumerated powers. Time for me to make it a bipartisan show of consistency: Even though I have a relatively favorable impression of Obama's judgment on this, I insist that partisan Republicans have just as much of a patriotic duty to question his decisions critically as I did with Bush. The founders were right to give Congress checks on the commander-in-chief power, in the form of budget authority over the military and the power "To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces", among other enumerated powers.

]]> By: Michale http://www.chrisweigant.com/2011/05/09/beginning-the-end-of-americas-longest-war/#comment-14392 Michale Tue, 10 May 2011 11:13:17 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=3938#comment-14392 Dead on commentary, CW.. :D During the Bush years, I was on record over and over ad nasuem that, as Commander In Chief, he should be allowed to prosecute a war as he sees fit.. He has the knowledge and the intel to make, what we hope would be, the right decisions in the bests interests of this country.. With President Obama, I can do no less... Unless there is overwhelming and irrefutable evidence that shows the actions will do irreparable harm to this country and it's interests, Obama must be allowed to make the best decisions on our behalf.. If he fraks it all up, well.... That's what elections are for... :D Michale..... Dead on commentary, CW.. :D

During the Bush years, I was on record over and over ad nasuem that, as Commander In Chief, he should be allowed to prosecute a war as he sees fit..

He has the knowledge and the intel to make, what we hope would be, the right decisions in the bests interests of this country..

With President Obama, I can do no less...

Unless there is overwhelming and irrefutable evidence that shows the actions will do irreparable harm to this country and it's interests, Obama must be allowed to make the best decisions on our behalf..

If he fraks it all up, well....

That's what elections are for... :D

Michale.....

]]> By: dsws http://www.chrisweigant.com/2011/05/09/beginning-the-end-of-americas-longest-war/#comment-14391 dsws Tue, 10 May 2011 10:35:24 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=3938#comment-14391 The "graveyard of empires" trope is annoying. It's not clear that empires have really had that much trouble there, other than when fighting a proxy war with another empire among hostile locals -- a bad idea no matter where you try it. But even if they did, what do the military campaigns of Ghengis Khan, or Muawiyah of the Abbasid caliphate, really tell us about drone warfare? The "graveyard of empires" trope is annoying. It's not clear that empires have really had that much trouble there, other than when fighting a proxy war with another empire among hostile locals -- a bad idea no matter where you try it. But even if they did, what do the military campaigns of Ghengis Khan, or Muawiyah of the Abbasid caliphate, really tell us about drone warfare?

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