The History of the World pt.1
Western Edition

Greece. The cradle of democracy. Never mind the young boys, they still had some good ideas.

Rome, (362bce-625ce) perhaps the greatest Empire the world has ever seen. Took many Greek ideas and literally built upon them. Codified, and engineered the known world. Think of it as Globalization: the Beginning.

Papacy. (625-1500ce) As the continent faded into ignorance, Rome used a different method of controlling the provinces. Instead of Legions and Governors, His Holiness would use bishops, dukes and Kings. An elite few to rule the subjugated masses. Yet, the seeds of nationalism are planted.

Protestantism / Renaissance. (1500- 1700) Europe finally opened its eyes and didn’t like what it saw. All the power in one set of hands had led to Crusades, the Plague and Michaelangelo. Kings would declare their independence from The Vatican. Nationalism in full bloom. From there Empire wasn’t far behind.
When Europe proved too small to play in, the major players took the act on the road. North America, South America, Asia, Africa were all in play. Still, monarchy gave rise to The Enlightenment that would directly challenge the Old World Order. And eventually would lead to this experiment called The United States of America.

Pax Britiania.(1600-1948) From a nation of shopkeepers they controlled the largest Empire ever seen in world history. Colonialization became the precursor to Globalization. Economics and bureaucracy were their main weapons of hegemony. World War I slowed this process until World War II eventually bankrupted the British. But the precedents had been set for world integrated markets.

Pax Americana (1945- 2001) Stepping onto the world stage as a young teenager in World War I, Americans did two things; we became a nation player, but also became isolationist. (A bitter lesson) We would stretch our economic muscle and Imperialism. This schizophrenic behavior would have varying consequences. With the end of the Second World War, Europe was in tatters and the twin titans of America and the Soviet Union would face off for the next 50 years or so. Despite the presence of the Soviet Union, and minor, albeit bloody, skirmishes, (Korea, Vietnam, Cuban missile Crisis), no major world powers war has occurred.
Major increases in the military presence worldwide and trillions in security spending, has, like it or not, left, the United States of America as the sole Military power on the globe. Consider this Globalization, the sequel.

9/11. The rule set changed on this day. Symmetrical warfare became asymmetrical. Mighty standing armies are now almost passe. Quick response and intelligence capabilities are the best tools for the new “war on terror”. Regime change is always a last resort. After 9/11 America stood on the precept of a whole new rule set. With a far – and a forward looking policy and world consensus, the “global war on Islamo-Fascism” could have been a far easier journey than it has been. Needless to say the first and foremost front should have remained Afghanistan. Until that nation had been fully secured and integrated into the world community, Iraq should have been left alone.
Yes, it is that simple. With a strong “coalition of willing” nations as opposed to the current “coalition of the billing” Usama should have been captured, the Taliban relegated to history. Saddam was going down, sooner or later. By going in sooner, and then totally screwing the post planning efforts, the Bush administration has guaranteed a long and protracted war/occupation with an uncertain future.