The Shortcomings of the American Elite

Glenn Greenwald has an interesting post on his Salon blog concerning the Washington Post's Fred Hiatt as a member of the American opinion elite. As a member of the opinion elite, Hiatt is in a quandray. Like almost everyone else who supported the initial invasion, he now admits that the U. S. was woefully unprepared to manage the war once it began. As Greenwald points out however, Hiatt hasn't learned anything. Even though he admits the mistake, Hiatt's still more opposed to war opponents than the war itself.

This is a real problem. The invasion of Iraq was supported just as much by Democratic opinion and foreign policy elites as it was by the Republican elites. Likewise, Democratic elites are just as anxious to be tough on Iran and support Israel as the Republicans.

Just like the Republicans, however, Democratic elites have no idea how to make their tough-guy stances work to the interest for the American interest in stability and peace.

That's why the left-wing blogosphere is so crucial to the welfare of American society right now. It's the only real alternative to the combination of arrogance and incompetence that's paralyzing the American elite.