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May 14, 2005
Hearts And Minds
I saw a Yale professor change his mind recently. It was over on a milblog called Chapomatic, which I'm finding quite enjoyable. It brings back memories of my navy brat days, but it's not all military. There are pictures of cute little mammals here. Some interesting links to water purification, etc. are here. But the best so far is the text of a speech at Middlebury College by John Lewis Gaddis of Yale. Allow me to present some free samples. The story begins with the publication of my book, Surprise, Security, and the American Experience, which appeared a year ago last March. I interpret the above as an establishment of his academic bona fides. A brief introductory ritual to lend his later remarks credibility. There followed a twenty minute conversation with Bush asking all the questions. After which we found, cooling their heels outside, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, Under-Secretary of Defense Wolfowitz, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Myers. “This is Professor Gaddis,” the President said, waving the book at them. “I want you all to read his book.” It's not so much what Dr. Gaddis is saying that I find startling, but the fact that he is saying it at all. I admire his courage. It can't be easy to be where he is and say what he says. Moving right along... The key to understanding the administration’s position now, I think, is this: that while everyone in the world may not know what democracy is, everyone certainly does know what tyranny entails. Finely spoken. And how has the wonderful world of academe received such statements? I’ve learned to be careful about this ever since, a couple of years ago, I gave a talk at Harvard and a very distinguished professor whose name most of us know announced, quite majestically, after I’d finished: “I’ve been at this university for 47 years, and I have never heard a presentation with which I disagreed more.” Changing the world, one professor at a time. Best of luck to him. Meanwhile, get thee hence and read the whole thing. posted by Justin on 05.14.05 at 07:41 PM
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» A Must Read On Grand Strategy from Chapomatic
I got this speech transcript from someone just now, and the speech is a stunner. Historian John Lewis Gaddis gave a speech at Middlebury College in Vermont on 21 April. I was truly moved by the President's inaugral speech this year. (It didn't hur... [Read More] Tracked on May 16, 2005 01:33 AM
Comments
Saying that because the outcome in Iraq might be good, justifies the lies that were made to get us into the war, is like saying that betting all your money, and all your property in a texas hold'em game with 7 2 off suit before the flop and then flopping 3 7s was a good decision. It was not! It was luck! and that is IF it all turns out fine in the end...and there is a very long way to go. Dylan Barrell · May 14, 2005 11:35 PM This is from an email I got from someone to whom I forwarded a link to this speech: Rarely, if ever, have I read such an incisive (Occam Razor type) analysis of the Bush foreign policy. It is a gem worth disseminating, and I am doing so. What is very interesting to see is the exceptional care and thought that went into the 2nd inaugural speech (which I listened to with interest in January, by the way, unlike the Yale history department dons who had better things to do).
Eric Scheie · May 15, 2005 02:51 PM Thanks very much for the gracious words! It means a lot to know you read my scribblings. Prof. Gaddis graciously responded--he didn't know the speech was "loose", so I've asked him to keep the speech up for the nonce. I do wish I had listened to a friend gushing about Gaddis earlier! Chap · May 16, 2005 01:15 AM |
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If anything is a MUST READ it's this.
Thanks for pointing it out.