Though I'll disagree that the reasons for the Iraq war were intentionally dubious, I'll agree with just about everything else you said. This is a very nice essay, Farhad. Though the retaliation against Al Qaeda was unarguably unavoidable, I've said that the Iraq war was the "right war in the right place at the wrong time" and I still think it was. The intel community failed in ... intel ... and Bush and congress and the CIA and generals and the whole F-ing Government failed in judgment. And now, politicians are failing in comparing Russia's incursion into Georgia with the US incursion into Iraq so they can, as you said, avoid the comparison in general. It IS comparable in a number of ways, though I'm seeing the Russian move as one to actually CLAIM new territory... territory it BITTERLY lost, while America would love to get the F out of Iraq and let them rule themselves. Of course we want them to remain friends... a democratic foothold in the middle east... a chance to somewhat westernize a part of the middle east that is not Israel, Qatar, or UAE. I also think Russia and hard-line Putin in particular wants to send a message to the Ukraine (especially) and other nearby ex-USSR nations, that Russia is MOTHER Russia and they are just ex-Russian provinces allowed to exist by the Mother. A bit of psychological warfare in action.

You are damn right that interventionism has been on the hot seat lately and no one wants to touch it with a ten-foot pole and especially when it comes to messing with a superpower like Russia... a country with more thousand nukes than I have fingers.

(sidenote)
I AM in fact a nationalist, not because I was born here and think it is innately superior for that reason... that's just ridiculous, but because I LIKE it here and I respect it most of the time above what I see elsewhere. I don't have a problem with that attitude. If you like your country, its [at least foundational] ethics, and its freedoms, don't be afraid to cheer for it... say at the Olympics for example. ahem.

I do think you're right about China and the Chinese in general as well Farhad. China is oppressive, but increasing economic prosperity and popular control should blunt the blade of their government. Still, at the moment, their treatment of the "usual folks" and their treatment of those who believe in a particular faith other than is approved by the government is detestable. I have a very close friend who worries sickly for his missionary friends who risked going there to offer Christianity to those who wanted desperately to find out more about it.

The world government idea is problematic mostly due to issues like African warlords and Islamic theocracies... as well as Catholic theocracies for that matter. I don't see Vatican City teaming up with Iran in other words any time soon, but specialization sounds like a reasonable idea. The US specializes in technological development, science, and innovation. China specializes in production. Korea is in tech as well. The UK is in... jeez I don't know, surveillance camera tech? Canada could be in oil shale and land. Most of the desert countries in sun power? Problems arise with destitute countries, but those regions could be supported by us (correction, you) rich folk. There is hope yet, just distant. First we gotta stop killing each other.

What if the US donated its missile defense rockets and its laser-equipped missile-defeating jumbo jet tech to the UN to universalize it so-to-speak to keep the thought of at least nuclear war impossible? That might ease tension... a sort of universal deterrent to ANY ICBM launch. That or all these countries could just trade more and whine less. Team up against obvious terrorists (or if you want, mass murderers in general) maybe, but otherwise communicate FAR more. Get to know each other. Learn to speak a common language on common terms.

In my opinion, the LARGEST barrier to peace is that people simply have different RULES to live by in this world. Some are faith-based. Some are science-based. Some are philosophy-based. They are not often compatible and no one has the authority but a real GOD to say what rule systems are acceptable and what are not. And don't blame just religion for it. If you do, you need to study philosophy for a bit and you'll find that religion is by far not the only obstacle to agreement on "rules of life." That my friends is the problem on this planet.

Best thing that could happen is a freaking alien attack at this point lol. Team our shit up.

That or simply let economic development go as it is going... Have you seen the talks on the increasing GLOBAL prosperity?!! They are VERY hopeful! At the rate we are going, things may get better before they get worse. Charity is often a good way to have an effect btw.