D
Every year there’s a late December/early January thaw and people say to me, “I can’t believe it!” and I think, “but this happens every year…”
I think it comes in part from tv/radio ‘meteorologists’ reporting averages as “normals” … meanwhile in my books, if it happened 5 out of the last 10 years it counts as “normal”
This applies to so many people in roles ranging far outside of universities. Most people actually want to do a good job and take pride in their work, particularly if it is a career choice. The best thing management can do is get out of the way with the ridiculous demotifying roadblocks. Simply support them adequately and then get out of the way.
Ah, I agree with that, they failed: but failing and getting away with it are very different things. “Failing upward” is just as much a thing for the US as a nation as it is for their ruling class of nepobabies.
I am disappointed that Canada’s government couldn’t bring themselves to sign a similarly clear letter.
I’m curious how you think the US *didn’t* “get away with” Afghanistan. I don’t see that there were any meaningful consequences to the decision markers or the US as a whole. 
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