George W. Bush announced this week “the most comprehensive restructuring of US military forces overseas since the end of the Korean war”.

Those were not his own words. The US commander-in-chief merely announced that he planned to bring home some 70,000 servicemen and women from bases abroad, so that they could have “more time for their kids, and to spend with their families at home”. It was his White House staff who made sure Mr Bush's attempt at a homely presentation to an audience of US veterans did not completely disguise its import.