Good morning,
As the United States and Israel’s war with Iran crosses its six-month mark, I’ve returned to one of my favorite reads: a 2019 essay by George Packer on how the legendary U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke became disillusioned with one forever war, in Vietnam, and then struggled to resolve a second, in Afghanistan. The piece, which was adapted from Packer’s book, traces Holbrooke’s life, from his growing doubts as a young foreign service officer in the Mekong Delta to his unwelcome lectures as “a sodden old vet” in President Barack Obama’s situation room. With the Iran stalemate dragging on, Packer offers a timely reminder that American leaders have dealt with many of the same questions for over half a century—and that not every problem has “an American solution.”
Until next week, |
