Losing America's middle ground means losing our way

For a decade now, I've had a high enough profile in national-security issues that I routinely receive e-mails concerning American foreign policy from strangers living all over this country and the world. Because I've always been easy to find on the Web, people reach out to me in the hope that I'm somehow powerful enough -- alas -- to effect the change they seek, unloading their fears and anger in often disturbing ways. Let me explain why that worries me.

Having worked professionally all over the national-security community for the past 18 years, meeting more people than I can remember and going everywhere you might imagine, I know there are wings and factions on every issue, and that, generally speaking, they duke it out under roughly fair conditions in the best interest of the United States.

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