Random Thoughts and Central Tenets
August 21st, 2007Random thought: Candidates should be asked, at debates, what unpopular stances do you take and hold dear against all enemies? You see, a great measure of a great historical leader is the conviction they have in their beliefs, even if they are unpopular, and the lengths they’ll go to to uphold them. And if nothing else, it’ll tell us a little bit about each candidate’s character, whether they answer genuinely or say something like, “I support education” which doesn’t fit the parameters and is a total cop-out. End note.
In other news, a CIA report is said to say that George Tenet bears “ultimate responsibility” for not stopping the September eleventh attacks. I can live with that, but it should be noted that everybody in the American government failed and the final designation of Tenet as being most responsible for our inability to prevent the attacks does not mean that it’s his fault and if only — if only! — someone better were in the CIA, nothing would’ve happened. I contend that any man who held that post at that time would’ve been witness to history as Tenet was.
From that same story, though, I’ve derived a great complaint. Read that article and tell me what you think Richard Clark is saying. At the beginning, they make it seem as if he’s condemning Tenet for his failures and then they have him, rightly, pointing out that the issue isn’t that simple and there are many things to keep in mind. But who needs a well-written article? Nobody will read it, anyway.