February 5, 2013
Syria Is Not Iraq The memory of the Iraq War obviously looms large. The war, itself, was one of the greatest strategic blunders in the recent history of American foreign policy. But its legacy is proving just as damaging, leading to a series of mistakes that we are likely to regret in due time. There would have been much more willingness to intervene in Syria if we hadn’t intervened in Iraq. But the Bush Administraton’s misguided adventurism abroad has made open displays of ideology, or even simple morality, in foreign policy seem suspect. Today, it is fashionable to play technocrat and ask “what works?” Asking this question, as opposed to others, is a marker of pragmatism and prudence. As difficult as it may be, the thinking goes, we must do away with moral sentiments and attachments, which tend to distort more than clarify. Read more. [Image: Reuters]

Syria Is Not Iraq

The memory of the Iraq War obviously looms large. The war, itself, was one of the greatest strategic blunders in the recent history of American foreign policy. But its legacy is proving just as damaging, leading to a series of mistakes that we are likely to regret in due time. There would have been much more willingness to intervene in Syria if we hadn’t intervened in Iraq. But the Bush Administraton’s misguided adventurism abroad has made open displays of ideology, or even simple morality, in foreign policy seem suspect. Today, it is fashionable to play technocrat and ask “what works?” Asking this question, as opposed to others, is a marker of pragmatism and prudence. As difficult as it may be, the thinking goes, we must do away with moral sentiments and attachments, which tend to distort more than clarify.

Read more. [Image: Reuters]

10:35am
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  1. will-jog-for-food reblogged this from jasencomstock
  2. anosdesoledad reblogged this from magnificent--desolation
  3. thoughshebebutlitttle reblogged this from theatlantic
  4. magnificent--desolation reblogged this from theatlantic
  5. zombiecuddle reblogged this from jasencomstock and added:
    You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, Comstock!
  6. oneletterfromtheretohere reblogged this from theatlantic
  7. historiafacitfuturum reblogged this from theatlantic
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  12. ifiwereabear reblogged this from theatlantic
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  14. rutawa reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
    The memory of the Iraq War obviously looms large. The war, itself, was one of the greatest strategic blunders in the...
  15. trotskitty reblogged this from theatlantic
  16. lifepiledonlife reblogged this from theatlantic
  17. i-hummed-the-dies-irae reblogged this from theatlantic
  18. dircor reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
    Seconded.
  19. neue-haas-grotesk reblogged this from theatlantic
  20. unejoliefemme-xo reblogged this from theatlantic
  21. inquisitorrr reblogged this from theatlantic
  22. thevalidfallacy reblogged this from theatlantic
  23. quetzalcoatls reblogged this from jasencomstock and added:
    So the picture I’m getting is that if we don’t do anything we’re a terrible nation that allows a humanitarian crises....
  24. red-canna reblogged this from theatlantic
  25. owerddd reblogged this from theatlantic
  26. jasencomstock reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
    Or we could just stop invading countries.
  27. sosungalittleclodofclay reblogged this from theatlantic