This “experts” who want to egg us on to war.
O’Bagy, you may recall, wrote an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal recently, IDed as simply an expert with the “non-partisan” Institute for the Study of War. Her piece was allegedly based on up-close research, contending that the rebels in Syria were far more touchy-feely and moderate than their reputation as largely jihadists who like to meet atrocity with atrocity. In his first push for war, Secretary of State John Kerry cited her piece, then so did Senator John McCain and numerous other hawks.
Suddenly a media star, O’Bagy appeared on TV shows, referred to as “Dr. O’Bagy.” Few pointed out that the Institute was a typical hawkish neocon outfit that would be fully expected to produce pieces such as the one O’Bagy penned.
Then it all fell apart.
First, it turned out that part of her work had been paid for by groups supporting the Syrian rebels.
Then the depth of her experience in Syria and general expertise were called into question by journalists who had spent a great deal of time in the region. Reuters produced a piecechallenging her views on the “moderate” rebels.
Yesterday, the Institute fired the “Dr.” for lying about having a PhD.
She was fired for her lowest order sin.
I assume another job supported by wingnut welfare is in the offing.
Click on the “Institute for the Study of War” and you will quickly find a couple of prime movers and shakers there are Drs. Kimberly and Fred Kagan.
Yes, they met, found out they both really loved war and the big bucks it makes available to the right people, established themselves as the right people, and married.
Kind of like Roy Rogers and Dale Evans – except way, way more to the Darkside/Nightmare version of them.
She, by the way, is very pretty. He is a rather fat and not at all handsome dorky looking guy. If peace ever breaks out, I’d be a little worried about the stability of my marriage, if I were Fred.
Anyway, a great work both the Kagans were involved in, at least according to the American Enterprise Institute, was documenting and publishing lots of stuff about how fantastic the “Surge” was in Iraq.
http://original.antiwar.com/vlahos/2009/09/28/two-faces-of-kimberly-kagan/
And that work was used in 2009 and 2010 to make a big case for more troops in Afghanistan, so they could do the same fun stuff there that was soooooooo freaking successful in Iraq.
So to say that the “Institute for the Study of War” is nonpartisan –
It ain’t. Not by a long shot.
It’s as right wing as it gets.