I supposed it is silly to say we live in history, watching it unfold, but not really thinking of the major consequences because, hey, it’s just another day. (Captain Obvious over here.) Lately the unfolding of a very major chapter feels occasionally very real and sometimes a bit exciting, if I do say so.

So I’m thinking of how the combination of major domestic shifts interact in an almost chemical way with the experience of returning soldiers in American history and how the resulting reaction shapes the political and social landscape. How will these soldiers, so vastly different from any conflict in the 20 century, react with the what is happening at home, when they do get home?

I could go on about this for volumes, but it would be drivel because I’m not that knowledgeable about history. On the other hand… I think there’s a coherent and viable thought in there somewhere. (I’m recovering from some kind of bug, so maybe I’m just hallucinating.)

Will these soldiers be impacted more by the heavily constrained rules of engagement, for example, or the widespread leadership experience that Kaplan discusses? What will they find when they get home, and how will the chemicals react? This is the exciting part. We get to watch it, and live it.