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June 30, 2004 In order that we can fairly ascertain if the Bush Administration is doing any critical thinking I will briefly define what critical thinking is. According to the web site www.m-w.com critical thinking is broken into two halves the first being critical and the second being thinking. Those are as follows; critical is an “effort to see clearly and truly in order to judge it fairly” and thinking is “exercising the powers of judgment, conception, or inference”. Those defined we can begin to dissect the Bush Administration. Ruggero says (2001 p18) that critical thinkers make their judgments by examining the evidence, largely based on facts, instead of personal preferences. So has the Bush Administration done so with regard to the WMD and the War with Iraq? I would have to say absolutely NOT! Fact, we (the US Intelligence community) had no evidence that Iraq was harboring WMD nor that there was the smallest connection between Saddam Hussin and Osama Bin Laden or the Al Queda terrorist group. So why did we go to war with Iraq? Let’s take this one step at a time. First, we need to look into the allegations and try to determine if there is any factual basis for this untimely war and the separation of the US from the remainder of the world for doing this unconscionable act. In order to effectively do (Ruggero, 2001 p64) so we must consider not only the quantity of evidence, but also the quality. Furthermore, Ruggero (2001 p64) gives us some hints as to how to approach this. 1. Is the evidence sufficient that we can make a judgment with absolute certainty? 2. Does one point of view show probability beyond a reasonable doubt? *If these two questions can not be answered with certainty then one should reserve judgment. Second, did Bush and his Administration use this approach or one similar? It would appear NOT! That given, why are we (the US) at war with Iraq? Do we, the people of the United States, deserve an answer to these questions? You bettcha’! Can Bush or anyone is his inept organization even try to answer these questions? Each time they are invited to answer these questions they continually change the topic or shift the blame to someone other than themselves. A prime example of shifting blame or changing topics is the high remarks that were given to George Tenet pre and post 9/11 by the Bush Administration. Tenet came to work for the CIA under the Clinton Administration back in 1996. (Powell, B. 2003 p129) His message was clear. He told the world that unless the CIA was willing to undergo some serious changes they would become defunct. And so they changed. He opted to think critically. Barriers between departments were broken down to foster better, and more, communication, cooperation, and trust building. He did his job and with glowing colors, so why is he resigning amid all of this hush-hush testimony about the circumstances that lead up to 9/11? Time will tell, but he will probably come out with a book outlining his steps and those of Bush’s predecessors recounting their thought processes and actions leading up to this tragedy….so until then we stand by and hope that we don’t continue to lose countless troops to a war that never should have been. In closing our current Administration, absent any critical thinking, has put us into the largest debt ever and it will most likely take us well into the next century before we may begin to see any signs of recovery. They have lied to us all and put troops into a war that was begun under the most false and despicable of pretenses ever! Reference: www.m-w.com Ruggero, V. (1997) Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues, (6th Edition), McGraw-Hill Ruggero, V. (2001) Beyond Feelings, (6th Edition), McGraw-Hill Powell, B. (2003) How George Tenet Brought the CIA Back From The Dead, Fortune Magazine, October 13, 2003 p129-35, v148, no8 ------------ About the author: Michelle Malsbury was born and raised in Champaign, Illinois. She attended Parkland College and the University of Illinois before graduating from the University of Phoenix with her degree in Business Management. Currently she is working on her master’s degree in Organizational Management while concurrently pursuing her lofty writing ambitions. Ms. Malsbury moved to south Florida in 1983 and resides between the Keys and Apalachicola, allowing her to experience the southernmost and nearly northernmost beauty in the state of Florida. Travels have taken her from Europe through the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and across much of the United States. Michelle has been a bartender, real estate agent, flight attendant, beauty contestant, yacht broker, and commodities broker over the years, but writing is her passion. She enjoys outdoor activities like sailing, waterskiing, hiking, and fishing as well as reading, music, playing with her pets, and writing. “Three Years With Adonis” is the first to be published of several books that she has written. In addition to “Three Years With Adonis”, she has authored four other books and three screenplays while continuing to explore all that life hands her. "Three Years With Adonis" will be available eary 2005. Email Michelle Malsbury: abuchez@mchsi.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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