Napoleon said it, "Corruption has limits. Stupidity has none."

We are doing the best job we can to overreach and destroy our nation in the process. Because we have this idea in our heads that we are the richest and most powerful nation on earth we cannot allow ourselves to think in terms of limits. Bluntly put, we have acted (and continue to act) like a spoiled, rich, pouting child spending ourselves into the poorhouse to avenge an act (9-11) that killed 1/10th the number of people killed by influenza each year. (More able bodied adults in their prime are killed by the flu each year by a factor of a bout 2-3.)

Hubris now defines us, on the right and the left, republican and democrat. Hubris has become the core of our national soul and we cannot allow ourselves to realize the obvious.

The wake up call is just beginning. My honest opinion is that by the end of 20 years, the world will have a new order and the USA is going to be second tier at best. We could change that, but neither party has a single politician with the balls and vision to do it.

Consequently, Al Qaeda doesn't need to do a darn thing. All they need to do is sit and wait while we exhaust ourselves over virtually nothing, and we protect them by making sure that the local parties with interests don't take care of the problem. Then Al Qaeda can declare their "victory".

Unfortunately, the "victory" of Al Qaeda will include getting control of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. That arsenal is what they were after from the beginning when they pulled the 9-11 stunt. They wanted us to react so that the presence of infidel boots on the ground would recruit for them. They miscalculated, yes, but we miscalculated even more by ignoring the cost.

When (not if) Al Qaeda gets their nukes, that may mean an American city going up although not necessarily. (I would expect that the Baghdad area round the green zone will go up in a mushroom cloud though.)

The smart thing for us to do, right now, and going forward, is to tell India "Go ahead. Knock yourself out." and let them take care of Pakistan and Al Qaeda. They have the local knowledge, and they have the motive, interest and wealth to do it.

But, quite simply put, we are stupid. And stupidity has no limits. I think our grandchildren will curse our names.