Originally Posted by Botnst

The brilliant clear-sightedness of after-the-fact assessment.

Reminds me of the conspiracy theorists who believe that FDR was a willing participant in the Pearl Harbor attack. See, there were all of these indications that were perfectly obvious, after the fact. Any fool could see the obvious pattern. FDR was no fool. Therefore ....

Now let's imagine that FDR HAD seen the pattern and had ordered the American fleet to sink the Japanese forces in international waters and ordered the army to bomb and invade Japan. Would he have been justified in so doing? On such flimsy, equivocal evidence?

Armchair second-guessing. After-the-fact confessions from known liars. Get the popcorn and the foil hat. This is going to get good.