How Bold Is Barack?

This just in: I've obtained a secret military report to the president musing that if only Iran could enjoy a "government based upon the consent of the governed and of a system of free enterprise," its people could achieve "the fulfillment of the principles of justice, freedom of conscience, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom from want, equality of opportunity, and to a degree, freedom from fear." Unfortunately, State Department sources dismiss the report as so much "messianic global baloney."

OK, wait a minute. I see the report was written in 1943 and was sent to President Roosevelt by Gen. Patrick Hurley. The complainer at State was the then-assistant secretary, Dean Acheson. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

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This article was originally published in The Nation.