In a column by Sebastian Mallaby, the Washington Post today has announced the "nadir" of U.S. power.
Mr. Mallaby goes on a long diatribe that contradicts itself so many times that an informed reader would get whiplash from the experience. And all those head turing points are attacks against the effectiveness, sincerity, and well-meaning of American policy.
He begins his screed by negatively invoking a Ronald Reaganism, saying "It's not exactly morning in America", after which he regales us on how nothing worthwhile has come from Iraq, "a special Rumsfeldian screw-up".
It isn't just Iraq policies he attacks, but the entire Bush doctrine and all our military efforts connected to it. Obviously he thinks they are failing miserably calling them "faltering" efforts and saying that our "tough talk" on terror has backfired.
Then, inexplicably, he leads into the current reversal from democracy being indulged in by Russia's Valdimir Putin, the Islamic militants taking over in Somalia, and the genocide in Darfur, as if America caused each of these calamities by somehow NOT using our might to stop them.
So, which policy are you against, Mr. Mallaby? American intervention or LACK of American intervention?
But, after talking about some of the worst human abuses in the world (not mentioning China, of course), Mallaby then ridiculously goes on to scold Bush on our "decline of empire" because of our "economic frailties".
Someone should point out to Mr. Mallaby that under Bush we have one of the strongest economies we have had in a long, long time. Someone should also tell him that, since Ronald Reagan's Republican revolution, we have had one of the longest streaks of strong economies that the country has ever experienced.
Finally, after his many finger waggings, Mr. Mallaby insists that he isn't saying the USA is finished.
I'm not predicting the end of the American era, not by a long shot... But has there been a worse moment for American power since Ronald Reagan celebrated morning in America almost a quarter of a century ago? I can't think of one.
Mr. Mallaby has another little problem with his late claim that he isn't "predicting the end" of America, however. The piece is called "A Nadir of U.S. Power". Unfortunately for Mr. Mallaby, "Nadir" means just such an "end" as the word means "directly opposite of a zenith", or "the lowest point".
Sounds like the end to me!
Too bad Mr. Mallaby is neither honest with his assurances nor informed of just how far off his analysis really is. It's also too bad that the Washington Post is so pessimistic about our country and sad that they used one of our most optimistic presidents ever as a springboard to their disrespect.
