The non-science world reels with bad news -- national, international, all of it. We shudder and shut our eyes tightly as we pass the news stands, we cover our ears when we hear a radio or TV. But while much of the bad news emanates from Washington, DC. People in the capitol seem to have mastered an uncanny ability to forget it all. Have you noticed? Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, when asked why the U.S. invaded Iraq when Korea posed an imminent nuclear threat, said that "North Korea was sui generis", a particular case. Veterans of the Korean War, stunned by Korea's bellicosity, plea that we don't forget North Korea's aggression in the "forgotten war". But the Secretary of State can't seem to even keep track of recent wars. Asked about why the U.S. invaded Iraq, she recalled spuriously: "We actually went to war against Iraq in 1991 because they invaded and tried to annex Kuwait...", as if she forgot when and why the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003 and by declaring events this way could distort her listeners memories too.
Not long ago, when reports suggested that Rice might have had a meeting with George Tenet before 9/11, and he warned her of possible Al Qaeda attacks, she morphed into apoplectic horror. She declared herself appalled by the allegations. The idea that Rice "does not recall" -- seemingly, anything -- alarms us. Is she afflicted by a rare disease, previously disregarded -- like chikungunya, but that affects neural cells? Has she caught a virus endemic to "Foggy Bottom"?
Unfortunately Rice can't be described as "Sui generis" in this way. Donald Rumsfeld scratches his forehead through every interview, squinting into the distance and wending and winding his way around various outcomes of his decisions. Shouldn't the leader of the Pentagon be sharp as a tack? Reportedly he had only the "vaguest recollection" of warnings by top brass on the ground in Iraq about his strategy. In his 'fruit in a fruitbowl' analogy, he compared escalating insurgent attacks in Iraq incongruously to apples and bananas and oranges.
Congress, of course, epitomizes the symptoms of the memory affliction. In the latest in a long string of scandals, key Republicans knew about Mark Foley's flagitious ways but forgot to oust him, or, alternatively, lost the facts in the legislative shuffle. No one informed Senator Hastert of Foley's messages to pages, or perhaps Tom Reynolds told him but "brought it in with a whole stack of things". Our elected legislators find multi-tasking onerous, apparently. Foley on the other hand, takes a break from harrassment to "remember" that he's an alcoholic, an abused child, a gay and in need of rehab -- thus maligning and misrepresenting all who are abused, gay or alcoholic. We're nervous, scared maybe, to watch Washington come apart into a billion little pieces.
The forgetfulness afflicts news reporters too. Millions of Americans protested the Iraq invasion 3 years ago and have kept up the chatter ever since, but some pundits didn't seem to know that Iraq policy was amok. Only now do they declare Iraq policy officially a disaster, now that Bob Woodward says so in his book. Woodward himself didn't realize the gravity of Iraq for two whole best-selling books, despite his experience in Vietnam and the sleuthing skills he honed in the 1970's. It's obvious, he now declares amnesiacally in State of Denial, that Mr. Bush isn't measuring up as the great president he was a year or so ago.
These memory glitches may help legislators forge ahead to their next crisis, but it seems detrimental to the world's welfare. How could so many Phi Beta Kappas be so forgetful? We've previously chalked up these lapses, these failures to keep apprised of the truth, to willful mendacity. But if we weren't convinced that this is a case of crooked, deceitful, greedy and cavalier leadership, we would think that such rabid forgetfulness is disease based (not really their fault). Scientists often feel besieged by politics and politicians, but if we were to treat this like a disease, we would brush that chip off our shoulders and reach across the aisle. Science can help. We'd start low tech -- rest, relaxation, exercise, simple nutrition. Perhaps if all of Washington were to eat yellow curries containing curcumin they would remember more -- or at least be less prone to amyloid plaque formation which can lead to Alzheimer's disease. If they despise curry they could follow a simple Mediterannean diet, which reduces inflammation of the brain and may also protect against Alzheimer's. No Freedom or French Fries, no ketchup, etc.
If the forgetfulness persisted then we could apply more high tech solutions. Drugs could help, maybe, although doctors question their efficacy. Drugs that increase levels of protein kinase A reportedly may benefit the hippocampus but may harmfully affect the prefrontal cortex, which is also involved with memory. Anti-psychotic drugs, already disputed by psychologists for their inefficacy for other conditions are not recommended by doctors for treatment of memory loss, but perhaps desperate times require desperate measures. Finally technologists like to remind politicians that fact checking becomes easier with the internet, they could check their facts, or the voters will check for them. Google could remind politicians and citizens what's fact and fiction. Finally, there's always elections, the ultimate surgical but low-tech cure.
