The Worlds Smartest Man

The world’s smartest man just jumped out of the airplane wearing a backpack instead of a parachute. No matter the outcome of the Marine investigation into the alleged massacre, the fault lies with the civilian brain trust in the Pentagon, not with the troops. The same judgment should have applied to Abu Ghraib.

The joke of course dates back to Naum. --- The pilot says we are going down; bail out now! In the back, there are three passengers: a back packer, a priest and McNamara. There are only two parachutes. McNamara says, “I am the world’s smartest man, so I’m first.” He grabs one and jumps. The priest says, Son, I’m old and you have your life ahead of you, so you go ahead.” The young back packer replies, “It’s OK Father, the world’s smartest man just bailed out with my backpack!”

The wisdom of the people in their cynical jokes applies as well today as it did back then.