Lower the lifeboats! Abandon ship!

Defense Secretary Robert Gates to Newsweek: “I’ve spent my entire adult life with the United States as a superpower, and one that had no compunction about spending what it took to sustain that position. It didn’t have to look over its shoulder because our economy was so strong. This is a different time. To tell you the truth, that’s one of the many reasons it’s time for me to retire, because frankly I can’t imagine being part of a nation, part of a government ... that’s being forced to dramatically scale back our engagement with the rest of the world.” Yikes. Is Gates talking about us, the United States -- or the Fall of Roman Empire? Man, somebody needs a long vacation. T-Minus 10 days until his retirement, and not a moment too soon.