August 24, 2007
The Art of Dissent
At any given time there are probably only about 100 foreign service officers who are truly extraordinary. Scattered across lots of different offices around the world, of all different ranks, they are the working elite, the master craftsmen of diplomacy. In his day, Roger Morris was among them. It's a real privilege for me to talk with Roger, who had the brains and the guts to resign his commission (together with Anthony Lake) over a major policy issue, the US invasion of Cambodia in the spring of 1970. And who's had the phenomenal energy to subsequently produce a raft of best-selling and critically acclaimed books on a broad range of subjects. Among his other writings I commend this working draft (pdf) of a Green Party platform. It was a great, great pleasure to talk with Roger and I learned a lot. Total runtime an hour and seven minutes. Enjoy!
Comments
Thanks for Roger Morris, especially his explanation of the rise of the neocons.
I wonder if oil is strategic in the way so many think. As an economist, it seems to me it would be much more strategic for the US to protect its status as the world's reserve currency, in which case we can outbid others for declining oil supplies. The course the US is on is one that is eroding the US dollar's reserve currency role and, thus, the US status as superpower.
Posted by: paul craig roberts | August 24, 2007 2:41 PM
Lovely interview with Roger Morris. I agree about fashionable scare tactics involved in the selling of peak oil and global warming. Not helpful. Give us the truth please.
See Peak Oil: Debate or Vendetta: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0405/S00143.htm
I disagree with Roger that the Saudi kingdom will implode. Not enough political commentators have traveled throughout Saudi Arabia to understand the culture is the problem. I also disagree about a possible Cold War II with Russia. Echoes of Kissinger. . .
The days of Vogue magazine dictating to the masses what to wear is over — Americans have cyberspace, even if they can't afford a ticket to Riyadh & Moscow.
Posted by: Suzan Mazur | August 24, 2007 7:41 PM
This is a delightful interview. It is very sad to see such talented people of integrity are not in positions of power. I agree with almost everything he said. Except where he says Saudis are going to fall within a decade. I don't think anyone has figured out how to predict future. Future can't be predicted. Human affairs are far too complex to be predicted with any certainty. Too many great minds have predicted many things and got it wrong.
Of course, I would be happy if Saudi Kleptocracy falls tomorrow. As'ad Abukhalil (Angry Arab) once wrote that first job of every arab progressive is to oust House of Saud. It has done and is continuing to do great damage to everything within its reach.
Posted by: Ajit | August 26, 2007 4:28 AM
George,
Excellent interview as always. I hope you meant what you said about being available to fix the mess in the State Department and I hope we get a Democrat into the Presidency that will actually want to do that.
I refuse to concede the nomination to Hillary as Roger does — perhaps I am naive, but I think Democrats are so frustrated with the Congressional status quo that an outsider has a chance. I would dearly love to see you as a foreign policy adviser to one of the Presidential candidates (Edwards perhaps?). None of them seem to have a clue about foreign policy and they could use professional help.
Posted by: Charles | August 27, 2007 10:08 AM