Fighting On Behalf Of Russia, China, And India

Bob Kaplan's view of the war in Afghanistan:

Everyone keeps saying that America is not an empire, but our military finds itself in the sort of situation that was mighty familiar to empires like that of ancient Rome and 19th-century Britain: struggling in a far-off corner of the world to exact revenge, to put down the fires of rebellion, and to restore civilized order. Meanwhile, other rising and resurgent powers wait patiently in the wings, free-riding on the public good we offer. This is exactly how an empire declines, by allowing others to take advantage of its own exertions.

Kipling understood. At some point, the American people will ask why their kids and their money are being leveraged to help China win the race for the 21st century.