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>
> According to Lt. Gen Edward L. Rowney, USA (Ret.), "Our biggest mistakes
> stem from the assumption that others are like us, when in fact, they are
> more unlike than like us. We insist on ascribing to others our cultural
> traits, not recognizing that we have different objectives due to our unique
> historic backgrounds and sets of values. In short, We fail to place
> ourselves in the other person's moccasins."
>
A point Kissinger likes to make as well:
Americans have a tendency to believe that all foreigners are
the species of misunderstood Americans.
Landon Lecture, April 29, 1996
But many would argue that that knowledge wasn't sufficient to stop him or the people he's trained from making mistakes.
Chris