Wednesday, July 16, 2003

A National Security Scorecard for the United States
Afghanistan: D — For lack of follow-through
Iraq: F — Plain and simple
Proliferation of WMD: D
Security in Asia: Another D
Relations with Europe: F
Globalization as a security issue: Another F

So what are the Americans — and the world — to make of this record? This is not a winning strategy: There are way too many failing, incomplete or near failing grades. The administration is banking on U.S. dominance for a long time to come without perceiving the reaction this goal is engendering. If this scorecard is correct, we may see the opposite — growing unhappiness with U.S. dominance and a yearning for a more responsive and engaged American leadership.

From Gordon Adams over at the Globalist. Some very harsh assessments...are they deserved? In many ways, I would have to think so. Putting aside our initial show of dominant force, which is a given considering our military expenditures and superiority, how are we really doing? Will our commitment to see this through, stretched already as we are while alienated from some of our deepest allies, alongside the long emerging threat of North Korea and our unsustainable economic debt, be sustained and ultimately effective? Or are we just blowing our wad, and making things more difficult, and our security less assured in the long run?