Washington Rules - Andrew Bacevich

I have heard Andrew Bacevich speak in an interview on NPR and he seemed to come up with such spontaneously interesting observations in conversations that I had an immediate respect for his intellect. So when I heard that he was coming to Politics and Prose for a new book release I was thrilled. And apparently I was not the only one. I had not seen so may cars parked in the neighborhood since Michael Lewis was in town.

Unfortunately, his actual talk was not nearly as enlightening. It was not that he did not say anything that I did not agree with. It was just that perhaps by this point in my life of observing politics and Washington society, I no longer found it interesting. Perhaps following politics has finally inspired the cynicism it has inspired in so many others. His basic point is that the entire philosophy of the foreign policy establishment of power projection is one that no longer accomplishes its stated goals, is in fact more likely to cause problems then solve them, and that the tremendous cost of this ideology would be better applied elsewhere. I am simplifying a bit but that is the gist. And like I said, I agree. Nuff said.