An extraordinarily important and insightful article by former national coordinator for terrorism Richard Clarke lays out the vital security issues that continue to be obscured or overlooked because of the overwhelming focus upon Iraq. Iraq, of course, deserves attention, but there's a difference between public and media attention and the focus of an entire governing administration, and the latter continues to drop the ball on vital issues because Iraq is such a debacle. Clarke elaborates:
[W]ith the nation involved in a messy war spiraling toward a bad conclusion, the key deputies and Cabinet members and advisers are all focusing on one issue, at the expense of all others: Iraq.First on his list is global warming, and it also includes Russia, arms control, and escalating violence across Africa, among others. The whole thing is extremely worthwhile, and as part of my resolutions for the new year, I pledge to try to cover these issues more as well.
National Security Council veteran Rand Beers has called this the "7-year-old's soccer syndrome" -- just like little kids playing soccer, everyone forgets their particular positions and responsibilities and runs like a herd after the ball . . .
When issues don't receive first-tier consideration, they can slip by for months.
