---
title: "Hindsight isn't always 20/20"
categories:
- culture
content-tags:
- usa
- war
- politics
---

A conservative colleague recently challenged me to back up my assertion that the US has often caused problems for itself with short-sighted foreign policy.  The first item that came up was the [early support for Saddam Hussein][1].  Last night I was surfing around and happened upon a great example of not learning from our mistakes, though.

   [1]: http://zhengyi.org/archives/000008.php

When questioned in 1998 about the CIA support and training of Osama bin Laden, Orrin Hatch said ["It was worth it."][2]  Was it, now?

   [2]: http://web.archive.org/web/20010602111315rn_3/www.msnbc.com/news/190144.asp?cp1=1

I suppose we'll [not learn][3] as long as we have [ignorant][4] leaders [exercising divine right][5].  [n.b. Slams toward leadership chosen based on position inside the Washington beltway, not party affiliation.]

   [3]: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/EF14Ag01.html
   [4]: http://www.poynter.org/dg.lts/id.45/aid.48947/column.htm
   [5]: http://www.msnbc.com/news/980764.asp
