List of Misguided Policies, False Beliefs

[From article]
Barbarians with electronic devices are still barbarians.
[. . .]
One of the best peace speeches I ever read was one delivered back in the 1930s -- by Adolf Hitler! He knew that peace speeches would keep the Western democracies from matching his military buildup with their own, or attacking him to prevent his buildup from continuing. Peace speeches by Iran today serve the same purpose of buying time -- until they can create a nuclear bomb.
[. . .]
One of the painfully sobering realizations that come from reading history is the utter incompetence that is possible among leaders of whole nations and empires -- and the blind faith that such leaders can nevertheless inspire among the people who are enthralled by their words or their posturing.
[. . .]
Which is more dangerous, inequalities of wealth or concentrations of power?
[. . .]
One of the reasons it has taken so long for some people to finally see through Barack Obama is that people do not like to admit, even to themselves, that they have been played for fools by a slick-talking politician.

http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell112613.php3#.UpeV8900i6Y

Jewish World Review
Nov. 26, 2013/ 23 Kislev, 5774
Random Thoughts
By Thomas Sowell