Democracies At War

The Sheetrocking progresses, and I occasionally am getting a few minutes break while each piece receives its requisite number of screws. So, what do I do? Silly question for any of you who know me--I get my reading fix, of course. Callimachus has been guest-blogging for Michael Totten while Michael has been globe trotting. He's put out some interesting posts. Here's one about how democracies fare when they're involved in asymmetrical warfare of the kind we're seeing in the Middle East. It examines how public will in democracies affects the way a war is fought, and thus whether it is won. What I found particularly fascinating were the comments at the end of the post, which centered more on Middle East conflicts rather than the broader issue of democracy and asymmetrical warfare. They represent quite a range of opinion--everything from the notion that "it's better to lose than become like the enemy", to "nuke 'em." (I'm not in favor of the nuclear option, but I do wonder at the people who think that if we lose to the people who are trying to establish a global Caliphate we aren't going to become like them. They will insist that we become like them, and further their quest for Islamic domination.) Anyway, the post is an interesting look at the strengths and weaknesses of democracies at war, with plenty of historical examples. Check it out.