I wouldn't worry too much about the "discrediting." The US has been
saving the world's asses for about a hundred years now and that doesn't
appear to be about to change anytime soon. When they see how much better
off Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East are ten years from now, along
with whatever else we happen to have to do to stand up for freedom,
they'll be singing a different tune. Or, the good people will anyway.
There will still be tyrants trying to drum up hate against the leader of
the free world though. Careful you don't let them fool you.

Stephen

Like in Vietnam, and Cambodia. I thought you got reamed in Somalia and
never went back.

Also, by our history books World War I started in 1914, not when the
US decided to join.

WWII started in September 1939, not over two years later when you
finally decided to get involved after Pearl Harbour. Prior to that,
several million Chinese had been killed since 1937 by invading
Japanese forces without the US being concerned at all. The way I hear
history told from many Americans, they were the sole combatants
against the Japanese and Germans.

Was Korea a victory for UN troops? Doubt it. It finally ended in a
stalemate.

I do not discount US involvement in the first and second World Wars,
and like most people, do sincerely appreciate the US getting involved
when it did, but please, don't pretend that you "saved the world's
arses" .

As for Iraq, Afghanistan and the entire Middle East being better off,
you might find that history will evolve to negate Western involvement
just as the Crusades in actuality made no more impact than a mosquito
bite on an elephant's rear end. You (and the many allied troops - it
is not solely a US war) can never win in Afghanistan for many of the
same reasons you could have never won in Vietnam, but then we don't
talk about our defeats do we?

As for tyrants...

This has gotten way off topic.

Peter