Beware of IT as Metaphor

This is purported to be a conversation, in the run up to the 2003 US-Iraq War, of Douglas Feith and a US State Department official.

I am including it here because I am struck by the power of metaphors to seduce otherwise intelligent people. In this case the metaphor is from IT arena.



State Dept. Official: "Doug, after the smoke clears, what is the plan?"

Feith: "Think of Iraq as being like a computer. And think of Saddam as like a processor. We just take out the old processor, and put in a new one--Chalabi."

State Dept. Official: "Put in a new processor?"

Feith: "Yes! It will all be over in 6 weeks."

State Dept. Official: "You mean six months."

Feith: "No, six weeks. You'll see."

State Dept. Official: "Doug."

Feith: "Yes?"

State Dept. Official: "You're smoking crack, Doug."

Feith: "Oh, so you're disloyal to the President, are you?"