I wonder when Descartes' influence became so profound? Was it in the 17th century, or later? If later, who was responsible for this disaster?

Andrew Sullivan on "the madness of King George":

One wonders what kind of country we'd be living in if the war had not gone so badly.

Glenn Greenwald:

America was founded to avoid the warped and tyrannical vision which The Weekly Standard and its comrades crave (and which they have spent the last six years pursuing and implementing).