Richard N. Haas Quotes
In Washington telling the truth is a gaff.
Richard N. Haas, President of the Council on Foreign Relations, CNN, Global Public Square, December 5, 2010
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
He was referring to the tendency of Arab diplomats and leaders to privately assure U. S. leaders about issues and then go home and make speeches in Arabic completely different from their private assurances and commitments. He advocated ignoring all private statements by Arabs and paying attention only to what they say in their own country and in Arabic. For a good example of an Arab politician doing this, see {585490}.
This is one of the proverbs of King Solomon of the Jews, son of King David. This quotation urges a leader to avoid advisors and appointees who do not tell the truth.
While there are dramatic exceptions such as during the Nixon and George W. Bush administrations, compared to most other nations were the indicator of official lying is a leader’s lips moving, the United States is among the leading nations with respect to official deception of the citizens.
Everyone who is employed owes the employer some degree of loyalty and cannot give his public opinion on an issue if it differs from the candidate or party that employees him. This is why it is so important if a Democrat criticizes Democrats or a Republican criticizes Republicans.
That was the position that candidates from both parties took as judged from their reactions to the other leaving out important information. While to most Americans, this is lying, it has become a political norm with the exception of a few politicians.
