VDH is being nice here - and inaccurate. At this point in history most Americans who know anything about it are wondering just how badly the Europeans will screw up the incredible historical opportunity they were handed, and why. I agree with him, though, in that it's time for a little disengagement.
From an historical point of view the Europeans have been a war culture for at least 2,000 years. If you want to count Alexander the Macedon and the early Roman era, the Europeans have been fighting 'civilized' wars for about 2,250 years. What exists as a present day European citizen, is the end result of warring cultures mixing on the continent for over 2,000 years. Europeans have achieved numerous advances in the science and the arts, but at the end of The European 2,000 Year Reich, one must begin to question, at just what price ?
From an historical point of view the Europeans have been a war culture for at least 2,000 years. If you want to count Alexander the Macedon and the early Roman era, the Europeans have been fighting 'civilized' wars for about 2,250 years. What exists as a present day European citizen, is the end result of warring cultures mixing on the continent for over 2,000 years. Europeans have achieved numerous advances in the science and the arts, but at the end of The European 2,000 Year Reich, one must begin to question, at just what price ?
___________________________________________________________
Most of the world has been in a state of barbarity for 2,000 years plus. The US has an interesting past also (Native Americans, Slavery, Civil Rights etc etc).
But the past means very little compared to modern day US or Europe. Both places have "civilised".
From an historical point of view the Europeans have been a war culture for at least 2,000 years.
Ralph Peters in "Beyond Baghdad" has an interesting piece called "Hidden Unities", inwhich he makes the same point. Worth a look at.