Quotessence
Home / Authors / Michael Hastings
Michael Hastings

Michael Hastings Quotes

Journalist

Filter quotes by topic

AllWarAfghanistanMilitaryPeopleGet InvolvedGuyIraqPolicyDifficultFactsForeign PolicyIraq WarPentagonPsychologicalWorldArgumentDoubtFightingHelpingOperations

Famous Michael Hastings Quotes

“Gore Vidal, Glenn Greenwald, Noam Chomsky, all these guys talk about how the United States became a national security state after World War II. I agree with that thesis. Essentially there's this bipartisan foreign policy elite who've been calling the shots for the last few decades and they're clearly still in control regardless of how clownish or absurd or stupid they demonstrate themselves to be. There's no shaking their orthodoxy.”

WorldStillsWarStatesLastsGuyUnitedUnited StatesSecurityStupidPolicyCallingShotsAgreeDecadesAbsurdWar Of The WorldsWorld War IiElitesForeign PolicyWorld War INational SecurityShakingGoreOrthodoxyThesisBipartisanCalling The Shots
Author:Michael Hastings
Create image

“I did an embed in Afghanistan on the Pakistan border in 2008. One of the things you realize when you're talking to low-ranking enlisted men is that no one listens to them. So when I showed up they loved having someone to talk to. That's a real privilege for me. The guys on the ground are the guys I care about. I've had the most satisfaction telling their stories. There is trust and there is stuff that you learn to hold back, especially when you're dealing with younger guys or lower ranking officers. That's different from the top brass who are basically just politicians anyway.”

MenDifferentRealCareGuyRealizingPoliticianAfghanistanI Care
Author:Michael Hastings
Create image

“I made this bad joke on Twitter saying, "I want to put in my first no-bid contract to train the Libyan army and police force." These counter-insurgency guys like to say, "We don't do the big F-16 or big boondoggle projects, we're not pulling this stuff because it's good business." But in fact it turns out there are tons of business opportunities involving counter-insurgency operations - and it's not like we're getting rid of the boondoggle programs either, we're just doing more of everything.”

GuyOpportunityJokesProgramArmyPoliceTrainGood Business
Author:Michael Hastings
Create image