[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fu8rAuGCjnZYa-Yl96gOuZ35MyP3VFVceXukdY78AI_w":3,"$foM5pj2EW6mKvprwC5OLkKhJ3LW9TNp5nLmD4W1VAHGM":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},181182,"Brent Scowcroft","B",59,null,"brent-scowcroft",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":78},[14,22,29,35,41,48,54,60,66,72],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":9},2898768,"To sum up, the position we took was that since we didn’t know the internal situation in Iraq nor Saddam Hussein, that our best bet was to take counsel from the people who did know him and who did deal with him.",6,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":23,"quote_text":24,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":25,"source":26,"quote_tag":27,"commentary":28},2898761,"Democracy doesn’t just consist of holding elections.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nBrent Scowcroft, a renowned American statesman and diplomat, likely expressed this sentiment during his tenure as National Security Adviser under Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush. This quote reflects his expertise in international relations and governance, gained through his experiences navigating the complexities of global politics. The era of Scowcroft's life relevant to this sentiment was marked by the Cold War's end and the emergence of new global challenges, such as the Gulf War and the collapse of the Soviet Union.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThis quote reveals a counter-intuitive truth: democracy is not solely defined by the exercise of voting rights, but also by the effective functioning of institutions and the protection of individual rights. Scowcroft's statement highlights the tension between the formal trappings of democracy (elections) and its underlying principles (checks and balances, rule of law, and accountability).\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, modern professionals and creatives should focus on cultivating a nuanced understanding of the systems and structures that support democratic governance. By recognizing that democracy's success depends on more than just periodic elections, individuals can work to strengthen institutions, promote transparency, and ensure accountability, ultimately enriching the democratic process and its outcomes.",{"id":30,"quote_text":31,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":32,"source":33,"quote_tag":34,"commentary":9},2898744,"But figuring out Saddam Hussein was one our greatest mysteries. He marched to his own drummer and frequently as this unfolded he made decisions which were sometimes inexplicable to us and sometimes didn’t look very smart.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":36,"quote_text":37,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":38,"source":39,"quote_tag":40,"commentary":9},2898729,"Simply killing everyone who is already a terrorist today won’t solve the problem.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":42,"quote_text":43,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":44,"source":45,"quote_tag":46,"commentary":47},2898722,"After all, we didn’t bring democracy to Germany in 1945; Hitler destroyed democracy there first.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nThis quote is likely from Brent Scowcroft, a renowned American diplomat and strategist, who served as National Security Adviser under Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush. Given the context of his life and work, it's possible that this quote was said during the 1980s, when Scowcroft was grappling with the complexities of Cold War politics and the rise of international terrorism. At that time, he was likely reflecting on the challenges of rebuilding and stabilizing post-war Germany.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a counter-intuitive truth about the nature of conflict and democracy. Scowcroft's statement highlights that the destruction of democratic institutions is often a prerequisite for their restoration, and that the imposition of democracy from outside can be a futile or even counterproductive endeavor. This paradox suggests that the path to democracy is often paved with the ashes of its own failures, and that the most effective approach to promoting democratic values may involve allowing them to emerge organically from the ashes of authoritarianism.\n\n**How to Use This**\nWhen faced with the challenge of promoting change or reform in a complex system, consider the possibility that the destruction of the existing order may be a necessary precursor to its rebirth. Instead of trying to impose your will or vision from the outside, focus on creating conditions that allow for the emergence of new ideas and institutions, even if that means tolerating or even facilitating the collapse of the old order.",{"id":49,"quote_text":50,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":51,"source":52,"quote_tag":53,"commentary":9},2898701,"But, if you believe we should go around the world overturning regimes to make little United States, I don’t agree with that, because I don’t think we’re capable of doing that.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":55,"quote_text":56,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":57,"source":58,"quote_tag":59,"commentary":9},2898693,"Saddam’s ouster will not necessarily lead to the same result, since Iraq lacks democratic traditions. Democracy doesn’t just consist of holding elections.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":61,"quote_text":62,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":63,"source":64,"quote_tag":65,"commentary":9},2898687,"Yes, Israel’s our ally. But, are the Palestinians our enemy? No, they are not.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":67,"quote_text":68,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":69,"source":70,"quote_tag":71,"commentary":9},2898669,"Much of what we know about mathematics and trade comes from the Arabs. Then came stagnation, and now they’re the West’s whipping boy. This is a problem that cannot be solved overnight, and certainly not militarily.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":73,"quote_text":74,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":75,"source":76,"quote_tag":77,"commentary":9},2898636,"I’m afraid that the United States is more isolated today than at any other time in my memory.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"currentPage":79,"totalPages":17,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":80},1,10]