Mindless Conformity
There is nothing like a war to reduce citizens to mindless conformity, ready to play follow the leader.
Many believe that because Bush is our president, we should support his decisions, especially in times of war. Michael Parent's "Superpatriotism" points out: "We are told that during times of crisis we must trust the president. Democracy is not about trust; it's about distrust, accountability, public exposure and responsible government. We must impress on our fellow Americans to trust Congress less and themselves more."
Bush supporters claim that citizens don’t have access to the amount of factual intelligence available to our elected officials. According to Paul Pillar factual intelligence doesn’t matter to this regime. After 28 years, senior CIA officer Paul Pillar retired last October as our national intelligence officer for the Near East and South Asia. He charges this administration used selective intelligence about Iraq's unconventional weapons and of ignoring the prediction of postwar chaos in Iraq.
Pillar reports that intelligence was misused to justify the decision to topple Saddam. A decision, which former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill insist was made, before 9/11. Pillar claims the Pentagon repeatedly asked the same questions, and when intelligence analysts resisted giving them the answers they wanted, Pillar and others were accused of "trying to sabotage the president's policies."
The politics of fear requires that we accept that Islamic radicalism will not go away; and will lunge at us for decades to come. Consequently, we must stand up for our values and beliefs.
Senior member of the U. S. intelligence community, Michael Scheuer wrote "Imperial Hubris" while with the CIA. He warns: "One of the greatest dangers for Americans in deciding how to confront the threat from al Qaeda lies in continuing to believe: “Muslims hate us for what we think, rather than for what we do. We repeatedly hear: ‘because they hate freedom’ from senior U.S. leaders. Such a conclusion is potentially fatal nonsense”.
"Imperial Hubris" explores why they hate us and why Bush’s actions are bin Laden's only indispensable allies. Scheuer emphasizes that we must recognize that our invasion of Iraq was an avarice, premeditated war, which offered economic advantages.
Many believe that because Bush is our president, we should support his decisions, especially in times of war. Michael Parent's "Superpatriotism" points out: "We are told that during times of crisis we must trust the president. Democracy is not about trust; it's about distrust, accountability, public exposure and responsible government. We must impress on our fellow Americans to trust Congress less and themselves more."
Bush supporters claim that citizens don’t have access to the amount of factual intelligence available to our elected officials. According to Paul Pillar factual intelligence doesn’t matter to this regime. After 28 years, senior CIA officer Paul Pillar retired last October as our national intelligence officer for the Near East and South Asia. He charges this administration used selective intelligence about Iraq's unconventional weapons and of ignoring the prediction of postwar chaos in Iraq.
Pillar reports that intelligence was misused to justify the decision to topple Saddam. A decision, which former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill insist was made, before 9/11. Pillar claims the Pentagon repeatedly asked the same questions, and when intelligence analysts resisted giving them the answers they wanted, Pillar and others were accused of "trying to sabotage the president's policies."
The politics of fear requires that we accept that Islamic radicalism will not go away; and will lunge at us for decades to come. Consequently, we must stand up for our values and beliefs.
Senior member of the U. S. intelligence community, Michael Scheuer wrote "Imperial Hubris" while with the CIA. He warns: "One of the greatest dangers for Americans in deciding how to confront the threat from al Qaeda lies in continuing to believe: “Muslims hate us for what we think, rather than for what we do. We repeatedly hear: ‘because they hate freedom’ from senior U.S. leaders. Such a conclusion is potentially fatal nonsense”.
"Imperial Hubris" explores why they hate us and why Bush’s actions are bin Laden's only indispensable allies. Scheuer emphasizes that we must recognize that our invasion of Iraq was an avarice, premeditated war, which offered economic advantages.
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