Aaron L. Friedberg Quotes
As it is so often the case in Washington, key players protect their turf. Strong national security advisors have jealously guarded their role as the President’s chief strategist. Weak ones have failed to compel cooperation from the other agencies determined to go it alone.
Aaron L. Friedberg, Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs, Office of the Vice President, “The Long Haul: Fighting and Funding America’s Next Wars,” Foreign Affairs, July/August 2007
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
One difficulty of diplomacy with many Islamic leaders is that the culture produces very aggressive rhetoric and very aggressive actions like Islamic terrorism. This quotation is often cited to demonstrate that it is the Iranians that had decided that America is it’s enemy; that America is to be humbled; and that their weapons development are targeted at America. This along with the most frequent Iranian slogan, “Death to America,” for many argues for preemptive military action or maintenance of a high state of readiness. Given statements like this from the leading soldier of the theocracy, there is little doubt that Iranian nuclear weapons would be a great danger to America. Therefore when Iran complains that America did not object to the fact that other nations have the nuclear bomb, they do not take their own rhetoric into account. No other nation with possible nuclear capability has made America its major military adversity and claims as an objective to humble the United States.
This was an indirect criticism of Condoleezza Rice, the National Security Advisor to George W, Bush for not taking a role that Mazarr and many others believe she should have. On the other hand, President Bush selected her precisely because she shared his values and instincts. Perhaps, Bush should have selected and advisor who held a DIFFERENT view and perspective from himself. This quotation reveals the classic dilemma of political appointments of key advisors and cabinet members. Bush and Ronald Reagan tended to select advisors who agreed with them in philosophy and politics. FDR and Obama, followed the Lincoln tradition and appointed many advisors who were not intellectual clones of their own views and values.
The State Department and the Defense Department often clash over power and control of various foreign policy activities and initiatives. Whereas secrecy is supposed to be a means of keeping critical information from the enemy, it is very frequently used to cover-up embarrassment and also to prevent a rival government agency from registering objections to ongoing programs. In the latter case the secret classification has two advantages for the agency wanting to maintain their autonomy. First, they keep the information from the rival agency for a while. Eventually, the other agency has people with secret clearance who will find out, but because the material is secret they cannot publicly discuss the wisdom of the policy of initiate a public debate.
Manava Dharma Shastra. Espionage and counter espionage was called for in “good government Ancient Hindu style.” This text is a part of the Hindu Holy Texts. Hindus believe that Manu was a prophet whose text is revealed or inspired.
Hitler ridiculed the letter after receiving it in public speech.
Gingrich, who avoided serving in the military throughout his life, was frequently opining on military matters, tactics and strategy in his speeches, media appearances and many writings. Generally, he was a Chicken Hawk {625110} urging military action and war although he had personally never experienced it. He spent much time in military meetings and conferences, and thought that he had developed some expertise from this and his extensive reading.
Barry Goldwater in the 20th century used a variation of this quotation. See {601784}.
Actually, there are many in politics who to this day castigate Truman for his decision, but for Bloomberg’s generation and before, anyone would have pushed the button. And there are some who still fault Obama as technically, the U. S. had no right to violate Pakistani airspace and kill a resident of their state without any due process in the U. S. or Pakistan. Bloomberg would have easily pushed that button, but there are many officials who warned against it, and earlier Presidents—George W. Bush and Bill Clinton who did not authorize assassinations in foreign (allies) countries.
Aaron Louis Friedberg served from 2003 to 2005 in the office of the Vice President of the United States as deputy assistant for national-security affairs and director of policy planning.
