Never Too Little and Never Too Late

It just isn't true that it is too late to help the non-jihadi rebels defeat Assad. This "oh, if only we'd done this years ago, I would have supported this action" lament is a common argument of the anti-intervention side when they want to avoid being labeled "defeatist" while seeking to embrace the label of "wise stewards of our safety."

Remember, opponents of the Iraq surge said it was too late to do any good. After spending a couple years ripping Bush a new one for having too few troops, they opposed more troops for Iraq. Alas, if only Bush had listened to us in 2004! Alas, now it is too late and seeing success requires a willing suspension of disbelief!

Remember that opponents of the Afghan war said that notwithstanding their earlier description of Afghanistan as the "good" war of "necessity," President Obama's two surges were too late to do any good. Oh! If only we hadn't been distracted by defeating al Qaeda in Iraq, we would have supported these surges! Alas, it was too late in 2009.

Remember that in 2001 we rescued the losing side in the civil war that the Taliban won, when those losers were clinging to a sliver of territory in the northeast without hope of winning.

Remember that at the end of 2011 al Qaeda in Iraq looked doomed. But as our power unwisely receded from Iraq, their war waxed and now they threaten to reignite civil war.

I'm sure that these same guys would have said that American intervention in World War II was pointless with France defeated, the Russians on the ropes, Japan running wild, and Britain too exhausted to do much good.

If only we'd intervened in 1940, we might have done some good! Alas, now it is too late.

I'm sure that these same guys would have said that American intervention in World War I in 1917 was too late. France's army was shaken after revolts, Russia was ready to check out of the war with revolution stalking the land, and Britain was too exhausted to do much good.

If only we'd intervened in 1915, we might have done some good! Alas, now it is too late.

I bet French advisers said that helping us in 1777 was too late. Alas (or whatever the French equivalent is)! If only we'd sent decisive aid in 1775 when this was getting going we could have had some success! Nuance requires us to accept this regrettable loss at this late stage in the war.

We're America for God's sake.



I know Assad dropped the big one. But it isn't over until we say it's over.

Assad? Dead man!

Kerry is right. Psychotic. But absolutely right.