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Sparhawk hit keys at random, and this came out:
20% of our money that is supposed to be helping these people build schools, reconstruct their infrastructure, etc, just vanishing into the hands of crooked war profiteers. It disgusts me.
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Strangely, the appearance of corruption, the acts of supporting corruption, the reaction to corruption, are all a much larger problem than the estimated 20% of the investment into Iraq that is being misspent.
It isn't a good thing, but it isn't the end of the world.
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HarmlessWabbit wasn't in season, so could type:
Mr. Krugman certainly has more qualification to speak on the economy of Iraq than, say, George Bush.
Yet, I hear no outcry when George Bush talks about the Iraqi economy that he lacks any economic qualifications to make his statements.
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While I am no fan of the American President, George Bush when he makes statements is not just speaking for himself. He has legions of research behind him.
So, even if he isn't personally an expert on a field, one cannot assume his statements haven't been vetted by people who are highly qualified in these matters.
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A strange looking TV spoke:
It's always illuminating how less than 700 words of self-convinced rhetoric can pass for something like substantive analysis. This is nothing but unsupported conclusions and hasty judgements that have nothing to do with the months of blood, sweat, and tears that constitute the massive and vastly serious undertaking of geopolitical leadership, decisionmaking, and execution in the real world.
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The thing is, I've seen these comments echoed before the fact. The article is missing the analysis to back it up, I'll admit.
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The fact that these words have any power at all over us demonstrates only that we prefer simplicity over the near incomprehensibility of actual events. Those charged with the awesome responsibility of securing global interests and doing the greatest good for the greatest number of people - including the good people who put their lives on the line daily - deserve more than this sort of trashing.
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Actually, they deserve to be heavily monitored and their every action scruitinized. Because they aren't just charged with an awesome responsibility, they are charged with awesome amounts of power and privledge. Quite rightly: in order to carry out their responsibilities, they need that power. The granting of this power, by their own citizens, and by the citizens of other nations (passivly or actively), means that those who grant it have the responsibility to know on what and why the power is being used.
When I pay taxes to the government, I become partially morally responsible for my governments actions. It is my job to make sure I can ensure my government acts morally. When my government signs defence and trade treaties with other nations, I become morrally responsible for the acts of that other government.
So yes, I will second guess my nation's leadership. I will second guess the leaders of other nations. Because that is my responsiblity.