Tanya Mosley

And, you know, the other figures of those early 2000s who fascinated mainly young men, I would say. But he also became disillusioned with a war that he had thought was a war of high purpose. And he came home one of many disillusioned veterans. And then he gets into Ohio State, graduates in two years. He's working incredibly hard.

And, you know, the other figures of those early 2000s who fascinated mainly young men, I would say. But he also became disillusioned with a war that he had thought was a war of high purpose. And he came home one of many disillusioned veterans. And then he gets into Ohio State, graduates in two years. He's working incredibly hard.

And he's just found this optimism because he's gotten out of this reality. Right. Right.

And he's just found this optimism because he's gotten out of this reality. Right. Right.

And he's just found this optimism because he's gotten out of this reality. Right. Right.

Well, his friend in the Marines told me that on their way in, pass through Kuwait where there's a major American base. And there were these guys, these officers on their way out who had just served a tour. I think Marine tours are basically seven months. And the guys coming out were saying, it's ridiculous. We go into a city. We clear out the insurgents. We leave.

Well, his friend in the Marines told me that on their way in, pass through Kuwait where there's a major American base. And there were these guys, these officers on their way out who had just served a tour. I think Marine tours are basically seven months. And the guys coming out were saying, it's ridiculous. We go into a city. We clear out the insurgents. We leave.

Well, his friend in the Marines told me that on their way in, pass through Kuwait where there's a major American base. And there were these guys, these officers on their way out who had just served a tour. I think Marine tours are basically seven months. And the guys coming out were saying, it's ridiculous. We go into a city. We clear out the insurgents. We leave.

And in a few weeks, they're back. And it's just this Sisyphean task that never ends and it never succeeds. So there was a sense already before he got there. There was a futility to the idea that we were bringing democracy and human rights to this country that didn't seem to want us and where the insurgents seemed to have a hold on the population that the Americans didn't have.

And in a few weeks, they're back. And it's just this Sisyphean task that never ends and it never succeeds. So there was a sense already before he got there. There was a futility to the idea that we were bringing democracy and human rights to this country that didn't seem to want us and where the insurgents seemed to have a hold on the population that the Americans didn't have.

And in a few weeks, they're back. And it's just this Sisyphean task that never ends and it never succeeds. So there was a sense already before he got there. There was a futility to the idea that we were bringing democracy and human rights to this country that didn't seem to want us and where the insurgents seemed to have a hold on the population that the Americans didn't have.

I don't think he saw much of that firsthand because he was not in a combat unit. He wasn't doing either civil affairs in Iraqi towns or raids on Iraqi cities. So I think a lot of it was secondhand, but you didn't have to get too close to the fighting to realize that the American strategy was failing. So I think he came home after his seven months quite disillusioned.

I don't think he saw much of that firsthand because he was not in a combat unit. He wasn't doing either civil affairs in Iraqi towns or raids on Iraqi cities. So I think a lot of it was secondhand, but you didn't have to get too close to the fighting to realize that the American strategy was failing. So I think he came home after his seven months quite disillusioned.

I don't think he saw much of that firsthand because he was not in a combat unit. He wasn't doing either civil affairs in Iraqi towns or raids on Iraqi cities. So I think a lot of it was secondhand, but you didn't have to get too close to the fighting to realize that the American strategy was failing. So I think he came home after his seven months quite disillusioned.

He was a conservative diplomat. At that point already, he had been a fan of the Bush administration. And so it had to have been a pretty deep disappointment, maybe even a sense of betrayal to come home and find that this was a war Americans weren't interested in, didn't understand, that very few of us were fighting it, that most of us were simply going on with our lives.

He was a conservative diplomat. At that point already, he had been a fan of the Bush administration. And so it had to have been a pretty deep disappointment, maybe even a sense of betrayal to come home and find that this was a war Americans weren't interested in, didn't understand, that very few of us were fighting it, that most of us were simply going on with our lives.

He was a conservative diplomat. At that point already, he had been a fan of the Bush administration. And so it had to have been a pretty deep disappointment, maybe even a sense of betrayal to come home and find that this was a war Americans weren't interested in, didn't understand, that very few of us were fighting it, that most of us were simply going on with our lives.

I think from there, Vance's view of America's role in the world was almost fixed, which was to say a cynical view of any pretense to being a force for democracy around the world. And instead, maybe a skepticism that said we should just mind our own affairs and take care of our own people.

I think from there, Vance's view of America's role in the world was almost fixed, which was to say a cynical view of any pretense to being a force for democracy around the world. And instead, maybe a skepticism that said we should just mind our own affairs and take care of our own people.

I think from there, Vance's view of America's role in the world was almost fixed, which was to say a cynical view of any pretense to being a force for democracy around the world. And instead, maybe a skepticism that said we should just mind our own affairs and take care of our own people.