World Views

A piece on NPR this evening discussed the State Department's reticence in providing evidence of the Iran government's claimed provision of arms to [whoever the enemy is]. The commentator stated that the administration believes Iran must be behind attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq because the increasing sophistication, coordination and effectiveness of the attacks could only happen with the backing of a government.

I was struck by the parallel between this assertion and the intelligent design school of creationism. The model is the same: no complex pattern of behavior can be exhibited without an identifiable governing intelligence as cause.

We have here a structural foundation for the administrations's repeated inability to understand and effectively deal with real situations, be they domestic or foreign - the need to have an immutable doctrine and an identifiable unitary other who governs events. In the recent hurricane, local governments were the other. In Iraq, Hussein, and now Iran have been selected for the role.

In reality, Mr. Bush and his chosen advisers are facing and cannot recognize a form of free market activity. A set of individuals or groups who incrementally improve improvised explosive devices and their delivery do not require more than roughly common goals and the means to share information on what worked and what didn't. The innovative, the lucky, the experienced survive and thus evolve. No politbureau is required.

There can be no reasonable expectation that, given its background, the Bush administration will learn the art of pragmatism. Without eyes, one can not see.