Quote:
Originally posted by shamrock_uk:
It's the failure to even consider alternative points of view as having merit that is largely responsible for America's foreign policy performance.
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It goes well beyond the mere failure of consideration with regards to alternative veiwpoints.
What we have is people in power who rarely take account for their own blunders and, without a doubt, seek to destroy any internal dissent by just about any means neccessary.
We have seen a CIA operative's cover blown because her husband had the ballz to blow the whistle with regards to the African uranium intel error.
We have a long line of public servants including: Generals, counter-terror experts, leading economists, and others who have endured character assassination ranging from their very loyalty to country being questioned to petty name-calling for questioning the wisdom of the current administration's various policies.
What we have seen in the last four years is the death of compromise, moderation, and centristism in favor of blind, narrow ideaology. This has only fed the polarized partisan system that is not only prone to error due to the rigid adherence to party ideaology, but is divisive in a way I can only consider "unAmerican".
In my opinion, It will be a while before our political system recovers from this schism that is a long time brewwing. We may not even be past the worst. But I shall remain steadfastly optimistic for the day when bipartisanship, compromise, moderation, and mere basic honorability is restored in the halls of the White House and on the floor's of the leglislators.
[ 05-07-2004, 03:25 PM: Message edited by: Chewbacca ]