Echoing the bulk of the Sunday talk shows I received a note from my source in the Village. He was afraid to use Wikileaks because the Village's security apparatus is much better than the US Govt at finding leakers and he fears for his job. As we know our Prince is being held hostage and that Stockholm Syndrome has set it.
He says the Villagers and their minions are all high-fiving themselves this week as "pragmatism reigns". Their standard two year plan to take down non-Villager Princes has come to fruition. First they give away a few things to make it look like there's been a change in the Village Council's policies. Then they grind down the Prince and his court with a series of stalling tactics and demands to face reality. Finally at the first mid-term election they present him with engineered political reverses and suggest he change course and be pragmatic, that crumbs should be accepted by the rabble as better than starvation. His courtiers, worn out by the grind, are replaced by Council approved "experienced" hands. Living in the grandest House in the Village the Prince doesn't even notice that he's being held captive and conditioned to do the Council's bidding. All he hears is that he's becoming realistic and more effective.
The Prince is not our enemy. And some on the Village Council are worried as well. Their iron rule is decaying. Much as they might try to hide it there are other forces in the world. The world is moving on and the history that created the Village Council is fading. We may have allies on the Village Council although they can not show themselves.
We scared the Village Council elders mightily in 2008. Their control points are getting more diffuse and too numerous to fully control. We can save our Prince and redeem the vision. But we cannot believe the words of a hostage and we must find our own program and tactics to save the Prince and ourselves.