The Peter Principle and the Bush Administration

Last night on Frontline they broadcast a biting documentary entitled "The Dark Side", which revealed the truth about how the CIA and the Pentagon were at odds about evidence for going to war in Iraq,etc. These guys emerged as the "Gang that couldn’t shoot staight", and reminded me of Lawrence Peters, who created the "principle" IN ANY HEIRARCHY, PEOPLE RISE TO THE LEVELY OF THEIR INCOMPETENCY AND REMAIN THERE.

Nowhere can I find better examples of this rule than in the Bush administration. To wit:

CONDOLEEZZA RICE: She was a talented pianist, an Oil Executive, a Russian studies expert,etc....but when she was made National Security Chief, she was suddenly clueless. Ditto when she "sidestepped" into her current position as Sec. of State.

COLIN POWELL: Despite having committed criminal acts (Iran-Contra Pentagon arms arrangements), Powell was highly respected worldwide until he buckled under and agreed to make the preposterous UN presentation of "evidence" of WMDs. Now he’s in disgrace and tyring to find someone to blame for HIS inadequacy.

DONALD RUMSFELD: A highly successful businessman and experienced government "servant" in past administrations, when he joined the Bush gang he suddenly "lost it", and made a series of absurd errors which fouled things up in Iraq beyond belief.....and he’s still at it. He refuses to resign.

DICK CHENEY: A long time politician and businessman, he was successful (if not popular) in most undertakings until he became VP (at his own request). He then got caught rigging energy contracts, feeding Halliburton good deals, and making endless false statements about WMDs and Husseins’ "connections" to al Qaeda..despite loads of evidence to the contrary. Now he’s among the most despised people in the entire world!

PAUL WOLFOWITZ: The neocon with offices in the Pentagon, Asst. Sec. of Defense, and professional liar once in the administration. He "knew" that Iraq’s prodigious oil output would "pay for the war", and predicted that we’d be welcomed in Iraq "with flowers and chocolate", and that the war would be a "cakewalk"...NOT!

GEORGE W. BUSH: I must say that Dubya just doesn’t fit here, but had to be mentioned, of course.
Bush was never really successful in his own right, having failed with a sports team (although bailed out), an oil company (bailed out) and as governor of Texas (popular, but what did he actully accomplish?). No, he was just a clown who was a part time drunk and alleged drug user who saw the light and straightened up enough to get "selected" as President...twice. Lawrence Peter would be lost when trying to figure out how one of the dumbest and most ignorant of all candidates could ever have achieved what he did.

What does HE know, anyway?