Over recent days, however, we've seen a flurry of talk about the end of Pax Americana and the coming of multipolarity.It wasn't long ago that America was the "New Rome". In fact, only a few months ago did I finish Deepak Lal's In Praise of Empires, in which he argues that “the contemporary academic theory” that “Ph.D. practitioners have learned has by and large been devised for the anarchical European state system which developed with the fall of Rome.” How “to maintain an empire is not what they have been taught in their classrooms” (p. 78).International-relations pundits and even--I know...

But he's not going to abandon work altogether. And what kind of work will he do?BUSH WILL MIX work with vacation time at Crawford ranch. Aides explore August swing to battleground state such as Pennsylvania, where Republicans are defending three endangered House seats and Sen. Santorum. Also planned: one-year commemoration of Hurricane Katrina, viewed by Republican strategists as biggest second-term setback.The Duck really isn't supposed to be a shrill, partisan blog. But there comes a point in time when those of us who care deeply about international relations just can't take it any more....

Via LGM:Shorter United States Army LTC Ralph Kauzlarich: Pat Tillman's parents are only unhappy about the death of their son and the subsequent Army coverup of that event because they aren't Christian."In an interview with ESPN.com, Kauzlarich said: "When you die, I mean, there is supposedly a better life, right? Well, if you are an atheist and you don't believe in anything, if you die, what is there to go to? Nothing. You are worm dirt. So for their son to die for nothing, and now he is no more- that is pretty hard to get your head around that. So I don't know how an atheist thinks. I can...

Yassar asks the kind of question academics both love and hate: "What is exactly the thesis of your book?" We love it because, well, we like to talk about our work. We hate it because, well, we kind of also don't like talking about our work--particularly when much of our discussion depends on arcane disciplinary debates.So, as a temporary evasion, I've decided to post the penultimate introductory chapter of my book manuscript, clumsily entitled "Religions Contention, Imperial Rule, and International Relations in Early Modern Europe." Comments are welcome. You can download it here (PDF). The...

Current events are depressing.My book manuscript looks at religious warfare and state collapse in early modern Europe. It is depressing.So some depressing-but-exciting escapism seems in order. Courtesy of YouTube: the 3rd Season BSG preview:I could've done without the background music.I've actually agonized about whether to pull this. Sometimes current events and the stark reality of actual warfare can make it difficult to enjoy, well, stories about genocide, insurgencies, war crimes, and warfare. It doesn't seem right. My wife and I haven't touched any of our more violent video games. We've...

Two very interesting pieces by Robert Kaplan in the past two days.First, Kaplan reviews a new book by Richard H. Shultz Jr. and Andrea J. Dew. The book, Insurgents, Terrorists, and Militias: The Warriors of Contemporary Combat, discusses the different methods, motivations, and goals of our primary adversaries in the GWOT. Why does it look good to me? Because they apparently take the honor, pride, and prestige motives of these actors serioulsy, as does Kaplan. If nothing else it should make for an interesting read.Second, Kaplan pens an op-ed for the NY Times today discussing the difficulties...

I spent today at and around our soon-to-be-not home with my daughter. Revisions to my book manuscript have been moving along nicely, so I thought it would be a good idea to give my wife some relief. My daughter's not only, as she will proudly inform anyone who will listen, "two," but also manifesting anxiety about moving in all sorts of strange ways. My wife needs some serious downtime and work time.My daughter, unfortunately, decided that she wanted to spend time with "mommy-daddy," my wife got no work done, and by the end of the day I was seriously contemplating taking up drinking. All of...

Coalition soldiers have recaptured both towns taken by the Taliban over the weekend.This shouldn't come as much of a surprise When the Taliban can hold towns against combined Afghan and coalition forces, than we'llknow the future of Afghanistan is in serious jeopardy. The fact that they have enough operational capability to seize them in the first place is bad enough news.The Post also notes that the Afghan government is going to try again to reestablish a "Vice and Virtues" ministry, and that Afghani officials accuse Pakistani Islamicists of (sit down, I know this will be a shock) aiding...