If you put your politicians up for sale, as the US does (alone in this among industrialized democracies), then someone will buy them--and it wonโt be you; you canโt afford them.
Juan ColeI argued that the Bush administration, and the Coalition officials more recently, didn't understand Iraqi society. They thought it was a blank slate, that they could use Iraqis as guinea pigs.
Juan ColeI think it's really unfortunate that academics have been sidelined in most important policy debates.
Juan Cole