Victor Davis Hanson weighs in once again as he does every Friday on the National Review Online website. Today he asks the question, "Is the U.S. better off with the Middle East as it is now than as it was before 2001?" He surveys the situation in seven nations, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, and says, "So where does all this leave us? In every case, I think, far messier—but far better—than before September 11."
He surveys attitudes in the U.S. from the hard right to the left and says, "What is lacking has been a consistently spirited defense, both unapologetic and humble at the same time, of our efforts since September 11." There follows reflections on what our alternatives were, our motivations, and the current state of the effort. As always, VDH is well worth a read.