Maybe the fact that the Bush administration was full of oilmen and old cold warriors wasn't such a bad thing after all. Still, their neoconnery bungled the execution to a large extent.

When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes

In fact, they have too terms: the "near abroad", and the "foreign."

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

They are the proverbial stopped clock.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."