Fools and fallacies

Three good pieces, not enough time to do them justice here:

1. A new book by a former Bushie reveals that the Administration manipulated the evangelicals as patsies for their own ends.

   The book is reported to chronicle Kuo's growing frustration and eventual realization that the Republican Party in general and the Bush White House specifically were shamelessly using Evangelical Christians to advance a secular political agenda with little or no connection to the concerns of the religious right.

   Not really a surprise to those of us who've seen the lack of integrity on every other front, but may poke further holes in the unquestioning support of the right.
   
   
2. Rice is a twit, and Bush lost North Korea on his own watch, whatever crap she may be trying to sell.

   "Failure" =1994-2002 -- Era of Clinton 'Agreed Framework': No plutonium production. All existing plutonium under international inspection. No bomb.
   
   "Success" = 2002-2006 -- Bush Policy Era: Active plutonium production. No international inspections of plutonium stocks. Nuclear warhead detonated.

   Truthiness is selling less and less well. Unfortunately, it's too late for factuality to make any difference.
   
   
3. A psychologist explains the "sunk-cost fallacy" being used to justify our stupid Iraq policies (and the "cut and run" accusations aimed at opponents). It's bad economics and it's bad foreign policy.

   How should we honor the sacrifices of those who have died or suffered serious injury in a U.S. military conflict? The best way to show how much we respect and value their lives is by not risking other lives unless future prospects for success fully justify putting more people in harm's way.

   But no, throw live soldiers after dead, "stay the course." The price, I suppose, of being governed by idiots.