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If you are interested in possible bias and the background of the author, he worked for USAID from 2004 to 2010 first in Venezuela then in Uganda, before he was
by acqq 11y ago
If you are interested in possible bias and the background of the author, he worked for USAID from 2004 to 2010 first in Venezuela then in Uganda, before he was a humanitarian relief worker with World Vision and Food for the Hungry:
http://www.cfr.org/staff/b16446 http://www.cfr.org/staff/b16446
- ghufran_syed 11y agoI guess this would be a DH1 response.. http://paulgraham.com/disagree.html http://paulgraham.com/disagree.html
- acqq 11y agoNo. I'm not "attacking" the author in any way (read again my post!), instead, I'm merely pointing to his background, since it's valid to know the context of the article, he even writes explicitly in it: "I helped Uganda recover after a 25 year civil war" "I helped return democracy to Mali." So it's reasonable to discuss what's behind these claims, which sound quite "big" at the first, and a little differently once the background is known. Shouldn't both the claims and his background be allowed to be discussed?
- ktRolster 11y agoShouldn't both the claims and his background be allowed to be discussed? Sure, but it's still a DH1 level response.
- nkurz 11y agoPersonally, I read 'acqq' as showing that Hirst's credentials do match his claims, and that instead of being a typical armchair pundit, he is someone who could be considered intimately familiar with the situation in Venezuela. In retrospect, I suppose it could have been intended to be just a neutral statement of fact, but it doesn't look at all to me like an 'ad hominem' attack. Unless you have outside knowledge of 'acqq' and are interpreting this in a context not visible to others, I think you are projecting a prejudice that does not exist.
- djrogers 11y agoInteresting that you would think working for humanitarian relief organizations in struggling countries would somehow make his viewpoint less valid.
- digi_owl 11y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Transition_Initiatives https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Transition_Initiativ... Beats me...
- smm2000 11y agoWhile USAID does a lot of good things, it is still a front for US government interests and one of USAID stated goals are regime changes in unfriendly countries. They do a lot of good things too though.
- nerevarthelame 11y agoUnderstanding USAID's direct involvement in the destabilization of Venezuela's government (during the years the author worked there) is pretty critical information in understanding his viewpoint. See: https://www.rt.com/news/wikileaks-venezuela-us-chavez-358/ https://www.rt.com/news/wikileaks-venezuela-us-chavez-358/
- vasilipupkin 11y agoi would be careful with using RT as a source of information. Its pretty much a Russian government propaganda organ
- JBReefer 11y agoName one way on which it's _solely_ a propaganda organ?
- sbierwagen 11y agoHe's also a Fellow of the George W. Bush Presidential Center: http://www.bushcenter.org/people/joel-hirst.html http://www.bushcenter.org/people/joel-hirst.html He tweeted a link to this blog post, blaming Venezuela's collapse on "commies": https://twitter.com/joelhirst/status/723921894479675392 https://twitter.com/joelhirst/status/723921894479675392 He also wrote an op-ed for Fox News Latino blaming Chavez's death on Cuban doctors: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/opinion/2013/02/28/cuban-medicine-killed-hugo-chavez/ http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/opinion/2013/02/28/cuban-me...
- bpodgursky 11y agoIs the fact he has political opinions supposed to invalidate the decade of experience / work? Am I supposed to mindlessly parrot 'oh, he's related to the GWB center, baaaaaaaaaad'? I'm not sure what your point is. Well, I do see what you're trying to do, but it's not honest or relevant.
- jqm 11y agoPointing out a likely bias does bring objectivity into question.
- sbierwagen 11y agoHirst is a flack. He's paid to promote an idea. When Chevron pays Barbour, Griffith & Rogers $80,000 to tell everyone that global warming doesn't matter, (https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/firmsum.php?id=D000021679 https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/firmsum.php?id=D000021679) you don't cry about bias. If Hirst says communism is bad, it's because he's being paid to say so.
- fabiandesimone 11y agoWell, the Cuban doctors thing might have some grounds (is like a widespread rumor type of thing) . He decide to treat himself there instead of in Venezuela, so none really knows what went down in Cuba in his final days.
- nickbauman 11y agoHe can only be described as a conservative neoliberal (wow what a strange moniker that is). Go and check. He cites Ayn Rand and Peggy Noonan. He's a fellow at the George W. Bush Presidential Center. If you want to understand how and why USAID works, read "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by former Ashland Oil CEO John Perkins.
- utternerd 11y agoActually, reading his other posts, he sounds much more like a libertarian (lower-case L specifically).
- nickbauman 11y agoI upvoted you because I both agree and disagree. Perhaps we can agree he leans libertarian (neoliberal).