When America attacks a country, it’s best to gloss America as NATO. And a war that might last another ten years, if America wins, should be described from the outset as almost won. Two news stories about Afghanistan, from TimesOnline of 13 February 2010, described the same event in instructive terms: 1) Wave upon wave of helicopters ferried the first of more than 15,000 NATO-led troops to the last major Taleban stronghold; 2) US-led assault, including 4,000 British troops, launched in Afghanistan in push to seize control of the enemy stronghold. The first presents the war as almost won. And except to Clio (the muse of history), it doesn’t matter who leads.

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