There's been a surprising lack of discussion of immense changes in American foreign, domestic and military policy in recent weeks.

1. Obama signs a bill enabling the army to arrest and detain people with no charge and no trial. That's stunning development in a country that calls itself a democracy.

2. He announces big cuts in the defence budget even as he also announces a switch in strategy to confront rising powers in Asia. He seems to be making the cuts by

  a) cutting down on the numbers of people in the mlitary.