Today is Day 2 of an effort by the government to clear protesters out of the area they have dominated for about two months. Things are not good.
I keep thinking about two books I’ve been reading recently. Team of Rivals is an American Civil War history about President Lincoln’s cabinet, which he carefully constructed to give him diverse opinions and to represent many factions. The book highlights Lincoln’s leadership style, emphasizing how in touch he was with the public mood and with the troops. Finding a Lincoln to lead Thailand during this time of trouble might be asking too much. Making sure that Abhisit is surrounded by varied voices would seem to be a smart strategy. I wonder how good his information is, as he holes up at an army base north of town.
The Coldest Winter recounts the story of the Korean War. With 20/20 hindsight, the author suggests several missed opportunities for ending the conflict that ultimately ended in a draw. Those moments came and went, says the author, because so many of the leaders were true believers, overly convinced of the rightness of their cause.
Jip and I are safe.
2 comments:
Glad you are both safe and well. One silver lining of the conflict is that having Bangkok in the news makes me think of you two!
Heidi
We have been thinking about you and Jip. Thank you for posting.
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