“In great empires the people who live in the capital, and in the provinces remote from the scene of action, feel, many of them, scarce any inconveniency from the war; but enjoy, at their ease, the amusement of reading in the newspapers the exploits of their own fleets and armies. To them this amusement compensates the small difference between the taxes which they pay on account of the war, and those which they had been accustomed to pay in time of peace. They are commonly dissatisfied with the return of peace, which puts an end to their amusement, and to a thousand visionary hopes of conquest and national glory from a longer continuance of the war.”<p>- Adam Smith (The Wealth of Nation)
Ukraine, on the other hand, claims Americans are safer in Kyiv than LA[1]. I don't know who is correct, but it does seem propaganda is flying in from multiple directions and it's hard to ascertain the ground truth. Given all the previous claims that turned out to be lies (WMD in Iraq, No bombing of the Syrian dam, etc.), it's hard to provide benefit of doubt.<p>[1]<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10436705/Americans-safer-Kyiv-LA-source-close-Zelensky-slams-Biden-evacuating-Ukraine.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10436705/Americans-...</a>
I wonder whether Afghanistan experience encourage embassies to voice this concerns.<p>Also thinking whether this has impact on geo-politics. Does it encourage war as hints that USA gave up or the opposite, you are preparing for the worst and ready to push back.