Because America entered both world wars of the 20th century last, while all the other great powers bled one another, and because we outlasted the Soviet Empire in the Cold War, America emerged, in the term of President George H.W. Bush, as âthe last superpower.â
We had it all. We were the âindispensable nation.â We saw further into the future. We could impose our âbenevolent global hegemonyâ on all mankind. And so it was that we set out to create a ânew world order,â plunging into successive wars in Iraq, the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq again, Syria, Libya, Yemen.
So doing, we bled ourselves, distracted ourselves, exhausted ourselves and sundered ourselves, until half the country was echoing George McGovernâs 1972 campaign slogan: âCome home, America.â…