I realize that after decades of positive thinking the notion of realism, of things as they are, may seem a little quaint. … When the stakes are high enough and the risks obvious, we still turn to people who can be counted on to understand those risks and prepare for worst-case scenarios. A chief of state does not want to hear a general in the field say that he ‘hopes’ to win tomorrow’s battle or that he’s ‘visualizing victory’ …
