Reflections On A War In Our Own Time

I've been posting updates on the epic of World War II in the Pacific. The Battle of Midway was an enormous victory. Even at the time, though, the victors wondered whether it was due to skill or luck that we prevailed in that battle. We still don't know - a mix, perhaps - but it didn't matter.

However the battle came out, we had vast quantities of war material in production, including more aircraft carriers, planes, tanks, ships and bombs. There was, as Admiral Yamamoto knew full well, no way that Japan could have prevailed against America's might.

The end of the war was not yet in sight. In the Pacific, we could not even say after the battle of Midway that it was the "end of the beginning." Yet in Washington and London, planning was already underway for the end game. Leaders who experienced the collapse of world order after World War I were planning how to have a better outcome this time. We are still living with the fruits of those labors.

But I see no evidence that we are doing any realistic planning for the end game in Afghanistan.

Arguably the task is harder, the complexities greater.

There will be no "unconditional surrender." Who would surrender? And to whom? And surrender what?

Perhaps it is time to declare victory and bring the troops home.

Have parades in Times Square if the troops want it. But it is time to rebuild our own nation.