Gen Dempsey described the course as "counter to our values of appreciation for religious freedom and cultural awareness" and "just objectionable, academically irresponsible".
The emergence of a democratic Egypt would at last help America to align its interests with its values and sharply counter the message of violent change preached by al-Qaeda.
The notion that such an impersonal gold standard actually produces better results than smart men and women with the power to manipulate interest rates and currency values may be counter-intuitive.