The Empire Slinks Back. Why Americans don't really have what it takes to rule the world. By Niall Ferguson. [New York Times: Politics]

Americans yearn for the quiet life at home. But since 9/11 they have felt impelled to grapple with rogue regimes in the hope that their overthrow will do something to reduce the threat of future terrorist attacks. The trouble is that if they do not undertake these interventions with conviction and commitment, they are unlikely to achieve their stated goals. Anyone who thinks Iraq can become a stable democracy in a matter of months -- whether 3, 6 or 24 -- is simply fantasizing.

11:49:00 PM  #  

Baghdad Blasts at Arms Dump Kill at Least 6. Military officials said a group of attackers had fired a flare into an ammunition dump guarded by American troops. By Jane Perlez and Michael R. Gordon. [New York Times: NYT HomePage]

The military, concerned about the reaction from the Iraqi public, began radio broadcasts tonight saying that the attack had been by people trying to undermine Iraq's future, and that Americans had been trying to help Iraqis by collecting arms from around the city and adding them to the cache.

11:22:39 PM  #