How Groupthink led to the war in Iraq

[Sandpiper]

Chickenhawk Groupthink?

by Jim Lobe

<snip>

Students of Groupthink list a number of symptoms of the phenomenon that can lead the group into disaster, among them:

believing in the group's inherent morality;

sharing stereotypes, particularly of the enemy;

examining few alternative or contingency plans for any action;

being highly selective in gathering information;

avoiding expert opinion;

protecting the group from negative views or information that would
contradict their basic assumptions;

and – having an illusion of invulnerability.

From what is now known about planning for Iraq, each of these factors obviously played a role, and they continue to inform U.S. policy not only against perceived enemies, but even against out-groups in the administration or in Congress. And, because the in-group was so small, many of these characteristics were unusually pronounced.

<snip>

http://www.lewrockwell.com/ips/lobe86.html

[Speck Tater]

1. Here's a telling quote from the article...

And whenever Powell or Armitage tried to bring to the attention of the highest levels in the administration the growing concern about prisoner abuse, according to a source recently cited in the Nelson Report, an insider Washington newsletter, they were forced to endure from the chickenhawks what an eyewitness source characterised as "around-the-table, coarse, vulgar, frat-boy bully remarks about what these tough guys would do if THEY ever got their hands on prisoners..."