the growth of the US economy, built on ever more precarious financial bubbles, a mountain of debt and the pawning off of the family silver,

Add.: ...and the massaging of statistics and resulting comparisons of apples and oranges,...

But the thing is that many, perhaps most of us, do not see this present US venture as a conflict between a defender of Western secular ideals against the forces of religious fundamentalism, but rather as a conflict, for a number of various motives, between two parties, spurred on by twin religious fervours, neither of which carries the torch for the values of the West.

Alt.: ...but rather a conflict, for a number of various motives, between multiple parties, spurred on by religious fervours and nationalisms, neither of which carries the torch for the values of the West - indeed your side let allies take power who fight for the very religious fundamentalism you claim the fight is against.

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}