I once represented a man who worked for the CIA ~ well, that's happened more than once, but I am referring to one man in particular, and, really, to one conversation, and one point, which put much into perspective for me.
Pretty much everything a president knows on any given topic is what he's told by his advisors.
The most powerful man in the world isn't the president, but the person who informs the president, because the people who inform the president can decide public policy.
As for what's happening or happened in Central or South America, it strains credibility that any president in living memory had an actual stake in what happened there. Sorry, but it's simply impossible for me to believe. Whoever actually had something to gain, and knew what was actually going on, and was willing to do what it took to get his interests advanced, well, that's who was in charge of that particular enterprise.
You know I am right, look at your own bailiwick. Has any president ever actually understood what was going on, or actually cared?
But there is the hope, perhaps vain, perhaps not, that people whom one respects are well-intentioned. Reagan had no more, nor less, clue, than Carter or Clinton. I believe that Nixon knew what was actually happening, but I can't prove it. |
