The Project for the New American Century

A few months ago William Kristol came to my absurdly liberal high school and talked about various political things which I have now forgotten. Basically, he explained his own transition from sixties liberal to neo-conservative. Anyway, at the end of the speech I came up to him and asked him about something which I did want to know– "So, what exactly is the Project for the New American Century? Because, you know, there are so many crazy conspiracy theories about it."

"It's just a little think tank," he explained. 

"Really? But I thought Dick Cheney and George Bush Sr…"

 "Oh, no," he said. "They just signed a statement we sent to them outlining our definition of neoconservatism. They don't have anything else to do with us. We're really just four guys in an office."

And, indeed, if you look at their about page you will find that it really is a small office, and the "Statement of Principles" is their only relation to Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz et al. Of course the think tank is promoting this Statement, because it shows that their values are shared by all these prominent leaders. But it doesn't mean that all these famous people got together in a secret clubhouse and planned how to take over the world. They aren't even members of this group.

I'm bringing this up because an essay I'm reading says that "Paul Wolfowitz and other national security hawks [were] grouped in the Project for a New American Century". And now I know that's wrong! Now you know, too. Tell your friends.