In the scene where the white house advisor (Viola Davis's character) was interviewing Barnes, Barnes was advised to stay on the message of "everything is fine ... ." Of course, Barnes emotionally did not see the big picture, took the bait, went off the script and screwed up. Fwiw, what should have been Bob's counter point to her statement? Or should he have kept quiet?
shareFrom the various clues given, the incumbent federal administration in the film is ideologically driven, and more interested in building consensus around their viewpoint than receiving contrary messages (i.e., modeled after the Bush administration). CIA management recognizes this, pays lip service to the perspectives coming from the White House, and would prefer that their people (like Bob) not rock the boat.
If Bob had gone along with the notion that Iran was ready for "democratic reforms," he would have pleased his management and helped to secure the nice desk job that he had already been offered. But Bob does not like to suck up, so when provoked he spoke his mind about the circumstances in Iran, and let the chips fall where they may. Shortly thereafter he is sent back to the Middle East on a new assignment.
For more details see here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365737/board/flat/122352255?d=122352775#1 22352775
In life, one goes with the tide or against it. The key is to know which action has the stronger momentum. Thanks for the reminder.
shareFrom the various clues given, the incumbent federal administration in the film is ideologically driven, and more interested in building consensus around their viewpoint than receiving contrary messages (i.e., modeled after the Bush administration).
Anwar, the same holds true for Baer's book Sleeping with the Devil. Clinton reportedly passed on a proposed hit on Bin Laden in 1998 because he was neck-deep in the Monica Lewinsky scandal at the time and didn't have the bandwidth to deal with it, and also there was the sense that his political opposition would have screamed "cynical diversionary tactic" if he had OK'd the project.
Of course, Syriana came out in 2005, 4 years after 9/11 and 2 years after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, so it is steeped in the political milieu of the George W. Bush administration.