"Just as ruthless and indifferent to the rule of law as his predecessor." Ouch.

[MadHound]

24. If Reagan/Bush had dropped a few million in reconstruction into Afghanistan,

After they had won our proxy war against the Russians, it is almost certain that 9/11 wouldn't have happened. It was that lack of payback, that lack of caring for those who had done the dirty work that most infuriated bin Laden and his followers, not that silly nonsense about American boots on Saudi Arabian soil.

Instead, we encouraged, even demanded that the Afghans fight back, get their country blasted back to the stone age, and then we simply walked away, doing nothing about the suffering that we were, in part, responsible for.

If you don't want war, then don't fight one. Drone attacks that blow up innocents in places like Yemen or Sudan radicalize people to the point where they will attack the US. Instead of trying to beat down people we disagree with, instead why not try being generous with them.

I suggest you read the book the Ugly American. The lessons imparted by that book are just as true today as they were back then.