Credibility Gaffe 0
Rajan Menon thinks that blowing up stuff in Syria is not relevant to America’s international “credibility.”
“Credibility” has great power in national security debates.
(snip)
In reality, the credibility gambit often combines sleight of hand with lazy thinking (historical parallels tend to be asserted, not demonstrated) and is a variation on the discredited domino theory. This becomes apparent if one examines how it is being deployed in the debate on Syria.
Making a futile and pointless gesture, one that is agreed will ultimately accomplish nothing, though, will most certainly undermine “credibility”; such is politics a la Animal House.
