[Jason Jewell]

Thanks for your kind words about the lectures. I’m glad you and your daughter are finding them worthwhile.

Extrication from global commitments is certainly possible if the political will to do it is there. I saw a national survey recently where, for the first time ever, a majority of respondents said the U.S. should “mind its own business” in international affairs. Of course, there are many entrenched interests who will fight to prevent any such thing from happening, but once the budget problems get so bad that social programs would have to be significantly cut, I suspect the politicians will decide that reducing overseas commitments will be the course more likely to get them reelected.