The Wikileaks collection

[Ken White]

Firn:

I just want to add that the Americans had the great fortune and luxury, only partly based on their considerable virtues, to have the time and the ressources to be able to do the right thing after all that blundering.

Very true -- most of us know that and appreciate the good fortune.

Fuchs:

they blundered so hardly that the mess was beyond repair, and the Americans only figured out what they did wrong, not how to repair the mess.

Also true and most of us are aware of that. We're also aware that while we may -- just may and not always -- figure out what we did wrong, our attention span and ego problems are often too great to let us learn from those debacles...

Fortunately, when we get hit on the head with a two by four, we do pay a little attention. Briefly...

[J Wolfsberger]

Firn:Fortunately, when we get hit on the head with a two by four, we do pay a little attention. Briefly...

Unfortunately, the three takeaways from your observation are:

1. It takes a hit with a two by four.
2. Little attention.
3. Briefly. Very briefly.

[Ken White]

In my observation at any rate.

Only good news is that when eventually focused, we generally do rather well.