The way the Pentagon and its defenders have pushed back against this story is to say: "They weren't doing psychological operations, they were doing information operations and public affairs. They were just helping us spin senators like we normally do."
Michael HastingsThe fact that our largest presence in the world is our massive military is going to dictate how we engage with the world.
Michael HastingsClearly the American military has been a force for good for the United States. There's a reason we have a standing military. But there's something to be said for having a much smaller military because then we wouldn't be tempted to get involved in things we shouldn't be getting involved in.
Michael HastingsI think when war becomes your life, I think its very difficult to have the proper perspective to be able to create a fully balanced policy.
Michael HastingsI love living in Vermont and I love living in New York. Does my love for Vermont give us the right to rain bombs down on Tripoli? Of course not. There are exceptional qualities about the United States. But it doesn't give us the right to impose our will on other cultures when they often don't want it.
Michael Hastings