[lbo-talk] U.S. official: 'maybe we’re learning to shut up now'

[John Thornton]

Ira Glazer wrote:
> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/world/europe/10diplo.html?ref=world
>
> ....
>
> “We’ve placed ourselves in a position that globally we don’t have the 
> wherewithal to do anything,” Mr. Friedman of Stratfor said. “One would 
> think under those circumstances, we’d shut up.”
>
> One senior administration official, when told of that quote, laughed. 
> “Well, maybe we’re learning to shut up now,” he said. He asked that 
> his name not be used because he was not authorized to speak publicly 
> on the issue. 

What a strangely worded article.
I loved this line:

"Russia’s emerging aggressiveness is now also timed with America’s 
preoccupation with Iraq and Afghanistan"

So Russia is aggressive but the US is only preoccupied?

John Thornton