Max Boot's Imperial Mission

Max Boot suggests that the real reason the world, or the West in particular, doesn't take strong action against ungovernable territory in Somalia and Pakistan is a "lack of will."

That's funny, because I thought the reason was: 1. Pakistan has nuclear weapons and might not take a wholesale violation of its sovereignty lightly; 2. the last time we tried to intervene in Somalia it ended poorly; 3. members of NATO are suffering from a major economic contraction that puts a strain on resources.

That's not to say that Boot is wrong to suggest that we need to think more creatively about how to mitigate the problems that stem from the world's ungovernable spaces. It's just that some 21st century "imperialism lite" is unrealistic, costly and unworkable.