Britain and France won two world wars, only to see the sun setting fast on their global empires. America lost China in 1949, Vietnam in 1975, and now Afghanistan. Still, America is the only free-standing global superpower. 

To thrive, China needs to sell as much as possible to America, and so do other export nations such as Japan and Germany. Meanwhile, illegal immigrants of more than 100 nationalities attempt to cross the Rio Grande to America on a daily basis. People vote with their feet. They know better: to make it in America, one has to make it to America.

For all its faults, all its inept presidencies, and all the wars it lost, America remains "the last best hope of earth," to quote Abraham Lincoln. No one is kidding no one here, though. America has never promised you a rose garden. Be the good, the bad or the ugly? It's basically up to you. You'd better live up to the Declaration of Independence. On the flip side, however, you can always give up on yourself. But then, why would you come to America to give up on yourself? Just asking.

Back to Afghanistan. The likes of President Biden should learn from the likes of Presidents Reagan and Bush the Senior. 

President Reagan lost 241 American soldiers to a suicide bomber in Lebanon on October 23, 1983. He cut his losses and withdrew from Lebanon fast but in an orderly manner. To his credit, Reagan knew when to quit, even though it made him look bad.

President Bush the Senior had a clear and achievable goal for his 1991 Gulf War against Saddam Hussain's Iraq: liberation of Kuwait. Once Kuwait was liberated, the war ended. To his credit, the senior Bush, unlike his junior, knew when to declare victory and go home.

All American presidents should know this: Vietnam is the middle name of the Middle East. 

by Lingyang Jiang