Summary:  The Three Cups of Tea fable is symptomatic of a deeper flaw in the way we conduct foreign policy. To believe in fairies makes for a fun children’s story, but wars require tight grip on an often harsh reality. We’ve made this mistake in the past and will gain — unless we learn and reform. …
The lessons about ourselves we can learn from the “Three Cups of Tea” affair (part two) Read More »
Summary: Like all cons, the “Three Cups of Tea” affair reveals more about us than its author. Like all marks, we seek simple sure-fire solutions, no matter how implausible. And we prefer the fables of conmen than the complex and often discouraging advice from experts. As any cop on the bunko squad knows, no matter if …
Summary: Another popular referendum overturned by a judge. This time insultingly so, dismissing the people’s judgement as irrational.  Perhaps he is correct and we deserve his contempt. Certainly we’re weak, even supine. In his decision overturning California’s Proposition 8 Chief Justice Walker gave us a memorable opinion. Every citizen should read it. A Republic has entered …
Another American judge weakens the Republic’s foundation Read More »
Do Americans have the insight and sensitivity to successfully manipulate foreign peoples? This question is central to our wars in the Middle East. Even our best friends might question this assumption. Evidence to date suggests that the answer is “no.” Not just our fumbling attempts to find a coherent strategy. Or our more spectacular failures, …
Americans in foreign lands, putting our knowledge of their cultures to work in war Read More »
A volley of shots in the battle of the antropologists: “A Gun in One Hand, A Pen in the Other“, Newsweek (12 April 2008) — “The Army is spending millions to hire ‘experts’ to analyze Iraqi society. If only they could find some.” Dr. Montgomery McFate replies in “HTS and Newsweek”, posted at the Small …
Another volley in the battle of the anthropologists Read More »
