New Era?

Cross posted with illustration from Great Satan's Girlfriend

As 2008's history making electile dysfunction preps to climax in transition and inauguration it's as tempting as bringing binoculars to the beach to proclaim "Behold! The New Era!"

Truly, change has busted out of her cocoon - and on a global scale.Or has it?CNN's resident Arabist babe Christine Amanpour (ever reckon the 1st syllable of her 1st name drives certain elements she hangs with batty?) escapes into ecstasyof global proportions.

"The Times of London said Obama had revitalized U.S. politics.In Germany, Der Spiegel called Obama's rise "astonishing," while the Times of India called Obama an "advocate of strong partnership withIndia."

Xtine failed to point out celebrations in the rowdy, rocket rich Gaza Strip sparked a small scale skirmish as Little Satan violated precious Palestinian turf in a killer effort to grant rocketeers instant, easy acess to the perfumed gardens of ParadisePinching a line from semi free press Al Jazeera (written by an American! What the heck?! ) that proclaims Americans are ill.

"Obama would pursue a much more consultative foreign policythan Bush, emphasising diplomacy as a tool and making use of traditional US alliance structures and the United Nations.With the country sick of war, he is unlikely to make anyadditional major overseas military commitments."
Welcome to the New Era.
It's also the very same as the Old Era.

Temptations to return to old school failed plots, promises, promiscuity and politik abound.

Advice, unasked yet proffered freely by intelligentsia (and in an especially unhappy case - unintelligentsia) - like Pulitzer Prizer stereophile Dr Fred "Everybody is a retard but me" Kaplan AKA the "Spiritual Emboldener of Al Qaeda's 'Weak Horse - Strong Horse' theory, theorizes a how to manual for Great Satan in the new era:

Essentially, suck up to the collective of thug hugging autocrats, corrupt royalty and illegit regimes at the UN.
Skedaddle out of Iraq ASAP, bling billions more with Pakistan in a hope that robust democrazy and tolerance will rub off and keep the Taliban hiding in the caves. Court Vlad, have tea with Iran's Supreme Leader and bring back Dr Dennis Ross (of the Little Satan - Palestine non profit jawflapping club way back in the Clinton era) to fast track a once and for all peace deal with Fatah, HAMAS and Little Satan.
Dr Ross appears on several short lists for #44 - though to be fair - maybe his advocates have never really made it all the way through "Missing Peace" (Farrar, Straus and Giroux - New York).
Chronicles of trying to establish dialogue, responsibility and honor with nigh unhinged intolerants like HAMAS or semi secular death cult fanboys in Comrade 'Papa' Arafat's entourage took Dr Ross 800 pages to realise that Arafat was a dishonest, corrupt kleptocratic oathbreaker of el bastardo grande proportions.

Theories are just that.
Theories.
Best guesses, hoping for the best and best wishing are not a very convincing counter for history and current events.

As one of Great Satan's militarized intelligentsia points out:

"Good will is no substitute for strength

"All the conflict-resolution theories in the world aren't worth a single rifleman with an American flag on his sleeve. Aggressors won't be stopped with earnest petitions, and terrorists don't cower at repartee.

"Without our military leadership, our allies would restrict themselves to defense in the global terror emergency. And you can't win on defense. Nature may abhor a vacuum, but terrorists love one.

"The demand for disciplined, capable men and women in American uniforms is only going to increase (while economic problems and campaign promises will threaten defense budgets).

"In this horribly troubled world, our troops remain the ultimate foreign aid."

Pic - GrEaT sAtAn"S nEw ErA