
Two Columbus depictions: one by the painter John Vanderlyn in 1847, another by vandals more than 150 years later in Washington, D.C. Left photo via Wikimedia Commons; right by Chris Maddaloni/Getty Images.
In February 2002, the news of a new PENTAGON office, entitled, “OFFICE OF STRATEGIC INFLUENCE”, was in the headlines. When I read and listened to the reports of this new developing office, my question was, “Why don’t they just call it what it is – the “OFFICE OF STRATEGIC LYING”