The reason we are not spending money on this is twofold. First, the primary foreign policy tool for this administration is fear; they don't feel the need to invest in "understanding" the enemy, they believe just making them afraid will do.

Second, the motivating force behind this administration has never been thwarting terrorism, or even protecting America's citizens. It is, and has always been, a corporatist administration, focused primarily on providing the goods government can give to its constituents: large corporations and the group of elites running them. To accomplish this does not require investment in translators, or even particularly good foreign intelligence infrastructure. It does, however, require an excellent and well-developed domestic intelligence infrastructure, which is precisely where they have been spending their time and money.

Posted at May 15, 2006 11:06 AM in response to Speaking the Language