Ambassador Ryan Crocker: What you see is what you’ve got

Before today, I never heard of Ryan Crocker, former Ambassador to Pakistan. He is presently Ambassador to Afghanistan and has been there for the past ten years in some capacity. He was made an Ambassador in April, 2011.

During his interview with CNN host Candy Crowley, it is no wonder his name is not a household word. And it was not until he said, “…we’ve got to double down our efforts in Afghanistan” did it fully dawn on me his possible relationship to the chaos in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In my opinion, his overall demeanor and presentation as Ambassador to Afghanistan was (to be extremely polite) a disaster. As of this early evening, CNN has not released the tape.

Read more at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Crocker
=====================================
The connoisseur ear
As with any connoisseur, when the applicable one of our five senses is satisfied, we are at peace with the event. Our nervous system rebels against all things inauthentic. At this time, I speak of the sense of hearing. I speak of hearing whirlwinds of words of propaganda from the American media and I am mindful of Langston Hughes who wrote:

"In the primitive world, where people live closer to the earth and much nearer to the stars, every inner and outer act combines to form the single harmony, life. Not just the tribal lore then, but every movement of life becomes a part of their education. They do not, as many civilized people do, neglect the truth of the physical for the sake of the mind. Nor do they teach with speech alone, but rather with all the acts of life. There are no books, so the barrier between words and reality is not so great as with us. The earth is right under their feet. The stars are never far away. The strength of the surest dream is the strength of the primitive world. This meant, I suppose, that where life is simple, truth and reality are one."
“The Big Sea” pg. 311

As always,
BB