The book is written with an emphasis on objectivity,
voicing the opinions of many character but also making sure to balance
it with relevant counter-arguments. That balance isn't always provided
immediately, often arising organically from the perspective of another
character with a different background.
A. Those chewed up tennis balls in the yard are my dog's.
The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan and the U.S. Response, 1978–1980. At the end of December 1979, the Soviet Union sent thousands of troops into Afghanistan and immediately assumed complete military and political control of Kabul and large portions of the country.
Paine tells us that it's impractical for such a large nation (America) to be ruled by a tiny little island (Britain, obviously.)
A. Metaphor.