> On Jun 21, 2006, at 12:28 PM, Yoshie Furuhashi wrote:
>
>> The problem is that a sizable number of people -- on this mailing
>> list, too -- appear to have begun to think that way again: the CIA as
>> a bastion of liberalism and reasonableness, in comparison to Bush,
>> Cheney, neo-cons, etc.
>
> Who "on this mailing list" actually holds that position?
>
> Doug
================================
I think it was pretty clear from leaks in the lead-up to the Iraq invasion
that the CIA's analysts were closer to the the
Scowcroft-Brzezinski-Kissinger school which saw it as a dangerous adventure
rather than the the Cheney-Rumsfeld-Wolfowitz one which saw it as a stage
for an intimidating display of US power which would strengthen its global
hegemony. The war had the opposite result, and the "ultra-right" has been
eating crow ever since. The differences had nothing to do with one or
another side being more "liberal" or "reasonable", just one of them being
more realistic in its assessment of the limits to US military power, even in
a divided and weakened country like Iraq, and the adverse "demonstration
effect" this would have on the America's allies and opponents.