Cynical

[Joseph McCollum]

I should try to find the exact quotation, but someone (it may have been
Benjamin Netanyahu or one of his supporters) called Barak's strategy of
resigning (in order to prevent Netanyahu from running for Prime Minister
of Israel) a "cynical strategy."  I think it was 'strategy' -- it may
have been 'plan' or some such.  The first time I really noticed this use
of 'cynical' was during the Persian Gulf War -- Saddam Hussein had
performed a "cynical manipulation" of public opinion, according to Marlin
Fitzwater.

Now a cynic is someone who believes that others are selfish, deceitful,
etc.  Diogenes carried a burning torch in broad daylight while trying to
find an honest man. I think "selfish manipulation" or "selfish strategy"
would have been better.  Fitzwater was the cynic.  He believed that
Hussein was selfish.  Netanyahu's supporters were cynics.  They believed
that Barak acted selfishly.

What do you think???