In short, we seem doomed by domestic politics and demography to re-enact Vietnam in Iraq. The only question is what age the 300-millionth American will be when the last American is airlifted out.I think the manpower deficit is crucial. Financial deficit is crucial too--but this can change rapidly. I'm confused by attention deficit though. His last line basically says we'll be there for another 18 years before we admit defeat which doesn't strike me as attention deficit disorder so much as repetitive brain injury caused by too much pounding one's head upon a brick wall.
In short, I'm unconvinced.
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You should be unconvinced. Ferguson is peddling the line from his American empire book (name escapes me now, along with everything else that was in it. Mostly rubbish). So his basic argument, to quote myself, is that:
"British displayed more stamina in their imperial endeavors: the British expected to stay and build while the Americans have typically expected to bomb and depart."
There is one tiny flaw in Ferguson's argument (tiny, as in "Baldric, there is one tiny flaw in your plan. It's complete bollocks."): it ignores the rise of self-determination as a social movement and indeed norm of international law in the post-WWII world. Comparing the British and US capacity for empire-building without reference to this is like comparing jogging in California and Mars. California, inducive environment for jogging. "Well Bill, I'm really disappointed with the performance of the competitors in the Mars mini-marathon. They keep keeling over. They're not even trying to jog. Very disappointing really..."
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