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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tekboy who wrote (18098)	2/5/2002 8:53:07 PM
From: JohnM	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

I think we differ here not really. After I let that post go, I thought a bit more about it. I tried to envision some sort of test of my point. I decided something like this. As I read the papers, the person in the Bush administration, at least who speaks publicly, whose foreign policy views appear to be the most distant from my own is Wolfowitz (hope I spelled that right). That's leaving off the list the members of that advisory committee--Gingrich, et al. It goes without saying that Wolfowitz knows more about the ins and outs of American foreign policy than I do; and, no doubt, knows more about subtle aspects of conflicts with given countries than I do or would ever plan to do. Nonetheless, I think he has the obligation to convince me that his views are better than mine (just a wee bit idealistic here) and to do so without invoking, and here's the test, either "trust me, I'm a professional," or "trust me, I know the background information here and you don't." In my status as citizen/taxpayer, he can't invoke either. He must stand with me as just another citizen/taxpayer. Hmm, I read that last paragraph and I realize I still haven't gotten rid of the touch of Harbemas that still hits me on occasion. On the other hand, in that same discussion, I can invoke professional privilege because he has no comparable status in my world. I'm thinking about this as I type, so I'm fashioning an argument. I may change my mind with the next stroke. But so far, I'm sticking by my fingers. John

To: tekboy who wrote (18098)	2/5/2002 9:03:26 PM
From: 49thMIMOMander	Respond to of 281500

Well, it should not be a new thing, that interaction between domestic politics, soapboxes and actual foreign policies. Seems it is actually a basic thing for designing and upgrading, modernizing, reforming domestic political systems, elections, consensus and continuity mechanisms for most of the present world?? Ilmarinen Helms obviously represents one of the more continuing continuity aspects, through the seniority principle. One reason I am fascinated with and by him. (as well as Biden, who was the first exception??)