Nation building only works when the enemy prefers peace on our terms, whatever they are, to war on our terms.
We did this with Japan & Germany. We didn't do it with Iraq or Afghanistan. We didn't need to do it to accomplish our aims, which were to remove the Taliban from power because they wouldn't hand over Bin Laden, & to remove Hussein from power & destroy Iraq's NBC programs for good. Both of those were achieved in short order. We should have left at that point.
Anyone who thinks Hamas are the "good guys" is insane. They acted the same way the Nazis did across Europe, & the way the USSR did across Eastern Europe & Germany. They should suffer the same fate the Nazis did & the Soviets should have suffered.
I agree that "sometimes the best way to get rid of a bad idea is to let it proceed towards spectacular failure," but it doesn't work if people refuse to believe that the idea had failed.
This is evident in numerous policies where failure is taken as proof that more of the same policies needs to be implemented.
I guess you missed my suggestion for a solution to the ongoing Gaza problem:
https://theothermccain.com/2025/02/19/the-future-of-gaza-is-neu-schwabenland/
Oh man I needed that laugh.
Nation building only works when the enemy prefers peace on our terms, whatever they are, to war on our terms.
We did this with Japan & Germany. We didn't do it with Iraq or Afghanistan. We didn't need to do it to accomplish our aims, which were to remove the Taliban from power because they wouldn't hand over Bin Laden, & to remove Hussein from power & destroy Iraq's NBC programs for good. Both of those were achieved in short order. We should have left at that point.
Anyone who thinks Hamas are the "good guys" is insane. They acted the same way the Nazis did across Europe, & the way the USSR did across Eastern Europe & Germany. They should suffer the same fate the Nazis did & the Soviets should have suffered.
You, me and Patton have the same idea.
I agree that "sometimes the best way to get rid of a bad idea is to let it proceed towards spectacular failure," but it doesn't work if people refuse to believe that the idea had failed.
This is evident in numerous policies where failure is taken as proof that more of the same policies needs to be implemented.
Fanatics double down. Yep.