Short Timer Speaks Truth to Power

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was speaking truth to power this week:

"Most governments lie to each other," Gates said, in response to grilling by Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy at a hearing.  "That's the way business gets done," he added.

Leahy fired back, "Do they also arrest the people that help us, when they say they're allies?"

"Sometimes," replied Gates, "and sometimes they send people to spy on us, and they're our close allies.  That's the real world that we deal with."

This from an AP Article by Reporter Kimberly Dozier, which can be found here.

The idea that folks who helped us hunt down Osama bin Laden were arrested is interesting, given that the Pakistani ISI has a range of actions, from murder to serious torture to beatings to warnings.  My understanding is that in 2007 as many as 4000 people were detained without outside contact, contributing to the lawyer's revolt.

Someone suggested the recent arrest of those who helped the US CIA was because people inside the Government were looking for a cut of the reward money from the CIA.

It is a strange world out there and it is important to keep some of that strangeness away from our own borders.  Not all multi-culturalism is good.  On the other hand, I had a nice lunch at the (Iraqi food) Babylon Restaurant (25 Merrimack) at noon today.  That is the good multi-culturalism.

Regards  —  Cliff