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Ben Swann: How CIA and US Allies Created ISIS
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<blockquote data-quote="dgiharris" data-source="post: 67094568" data-attributes="member: 322579"><p>I think historically, the US has about the worst track record with our Foreign policy of this sort. </p><p></p><p>What I don't think people understand is that there is a group people who have significant influence in deciding foreign policy and this group is essentially immune from administration changes. That is, they were there during Clinton, Bush, and Obama. It's the same people. </p><p></p><p>What is ironic is that quite often, these people have no real education in regards to the Middle East or region they are advising about. They don't speak any languages of the region, they couldn't tell you the history or cultural nuances of the people in the region.</p><p></p><p>Yet, it is these people who will significantly influence foreign policy. </p><p></p><p>I think in the US, we take hubris to a whole 'nother level. We just assume that everyone else acts and believes and thinks as we do. That we are just so smart and can engineer the solution we want without even understanding the underlying problems...</p><p></p><p>And then, when it blows up in our faces we just throw up our arms and say, "Well, who could have predicted this would happen."</p><p></p><p>When I was in the military I ran across the ambassador for Israel and got a chance to talk with her. She was awesome, she spoke 6 languages, had advanced degrees in history and political science and philosophy. This women knew more about the Middle East and it's problems than any other 10 people I've ever met combined. </p><p></p><p>Then I ran into an Arab-American guy who was rejected for ambassador for one of the Middle Eat Countries. He was similar to her, degrees in political science and history, author of several books and many college papers on the Middle East. He was passed up in favor for an older blue blood type guy I met at the same venue. This blue blood only spoke English, had never been to the country he was responsible for prior to his appointment, and I think his degree was in Accounting or Business Management. When I talked to him for a minute I was seriously underwhelmed (think Rick Perry but no twang).</p><p></p><p>I went away from the venue amazed that anyone in their right mind would pass on the Arab guy in favor of the blue blood. It actually scared me and was a frightening look into the inner workings of our government.</p><p></p><p>I can just picture a room full of blue bloods like that guy, sitting around a table smoking cigars making recommendations for various foreign policy decisions and it literally makes me break out in a cold sweat from fear...</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="dgiharris, post: 67094568, member: 322579"] I think historically, the US has about the worst track record with our Foreign policy of this sort. What I don't think people understand is that there is a group people who have significant influence in deciding foreign policy and this group is essentially immune from administration changes. That is, they were there during Clinton, Bush, and Obama. It's the same people. What is ironic is that quite often, these people have no real education in regards to the Middle East or region they are advising about. They don't speak any languages of the region, they couldn't tell you the history or cultural nuances of the people in the region. Yet, it is these people who will significantly influence foreign policy. I think in the US, we take hubris to a whole 'nother level. We just assume that everyone else acts and believes and thinks as we do. That we are just so smart and can engineer the solution we want without even understanding the underlying problems... And then, when it blows up in our faces we just throw up our arms and say, "Well, who could have predicted this would happen." When I was in the military I ran across the ambassador for Israel and got a chance to talk with her. She was awesome, she spoke 6 languages, had advanced degrees in history and political science and philosophy. This women knew more about the Middle East and it's problems than any other 10 people I've ever met combined. Then I ran into an Arab-American guy who was rejected for ambassador for one of the Middle Eat Countries. He was similar to her, degrees in political science and history, author of several books and many college papers on the Middle East. He was passed up in favor for an older blue blood type guy I met at the same venue. This blue blood only spoke English, had never been to the country he was responsible for prior to his appointment, and I think his degree was in Accounting or Business Management. When I talked to him for a minute I was seriously underwhelmed (think Rick Perry but no twang). I went away from the venue amazed that anyone in their right mind would pass on the Arab guy in favor of the blue blood. It actually scared me and was a frightening look into the inner workings of our government. I can just picture a room full of blue bloods like that guy, sitting around a table smoking cigars making recommendations for various foreign policy decisions and it literally makes me break out in a cold sweat from fear... [/QUOTE]
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