Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

A Canadian strategic assessment of the American mood: cranky and disengaged

Americans are unhappy and in a hunker-down mode, says a strategic assessment by a Canadian defense institute that is being rolled out today: Americans are war-weary, disappointed with what has been achieved at great expense, and feeling exploited by ungrateful allies. Debate is intensifying over how national interests should be defined and the degree to ...

By , a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy.
Wikimedia
Wikimedia
Wikimedia

Americans are unhappy and in a hunker-down mode, says a strategic assessment by a Canadian defense institute that is being rolled out today:

Americans are unhappy and in a hunker-down mode, says a strategic assessment by a Canadian defense institute that is being rolled out today:

Americans are war-weary, disappointed with what has been achieved at great expense, and feeling exploited by ungrateful allies. Debate is intensifying over how national interests should be defined and the degree to which the security of Americans requires expenditure of lives and treasure in faraway places. The rising mood of disengagement coupled with a fragile economy will make it very difficult for the administration to send large forces anywhere in 2012 unless security interests are openly threatened or humanitarian need is overwhelming.

Thomas E. Ricks is a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy. Twitter: @tomricks1

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