While many FReepers like to critisize liberals for lacking a mean IQ, this post demonstrates that many times they are capable of stringing a fact pattern together. That being said, there is a certain point where one's approach towards these facts determines whether they are conservative or liberal.
The liberal cites these facts as a damning indictment of Amercica. The conservative realizes that certain decisions are made at certain times to advance US interests. However, the one thing libs don't seem to realize is that conservatives are willing to admit that situations have changed, and two, are willing to recify them.
I posit that the majority of FReepers where libs or toyed with lib ideas when they were younger. Blaming some deep conspiracy is simply an extension of one's life up until that point: parents, teachers, school admins, etc. It's only after you get a little older, oftentimes when you are now one of those 'authority' figures, that you discover it's all very much like Oz: there's no one behind the curtain.
Humans stumble from one situation to another - no one is really in control. It's a testament to our system that we have the checks & balances in place to help preserve our basic liberties. This is why, at it's foundation, libs live in a fantasy world: there entire wordview is based on a fallacy, that is, that someone or something is in ultimate control.
Wisdom is an acquired virtue.