Afghan Warlords, Tribal Chiefs, American Bankers

True story: I knew a guy once who worked for a European oil and gas company doing exploratory drilling in Pakistan's tribal areas. His company received Pakistan Government approval and headed out to drill. "Hold on just one sec, pardner," cried the local tribal chief. "Get off my land." "But, but. . .," sputtered the oil company guys. "We have government approval." Cutting to the chase, the tribal chief asked (read, demanded) that the oil company build a road and a school for his community. Oil company figures it's a small price to pay and builds the road and school. Big ribbon cutting ceremony, after which the tribal leader tells the oil company, in essence, go now and never darken my door again.

I don't know whether they ever got around to drilling.

If you cut through the histrionics, we're hearing the same thing from Afghan President Karzai. Thanks and all that for whatever it is you did here, but now GTFO of my country. (By the way, Afghan memories are very, very long. The American involvement at the Crossroads of Asia is only the latest in a long string of foreign forays. You'll notice that the foreigners never seem to plant their flag for too long. And yet we/they (the foreign devils) keep trying.) In any case, Afghan president, tribal chief - no big difference.

And now on to the American bankers. American bankers say, hey, USG, we need some help. Don't worry, we'll pay you back, and, sure, we'll help out the serfs so that they don't lose their homes. Fast forward a year or so, and those same bankers are laughing all the way to, well, to the bank. As for loaning money to small business or helping homeowners avoid foreclosure, I believe the response from Wall Street can be interpreted as, you must be joking, go now and never darken my door again, and GTFO of my office.

Was it Einstein who said that a sign of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results? We are clearly a mad people.