Honestly this all seems too good to be fully true to me, like a wish fulfillment fantasy. The NED’s new guard installed at this high a level can’t be this ignorant of the org’s purpose, right? Or perhaps they really can be. Perhaps senior NED staff will have to be re-replaced, or else the whole project scuttled and replaced by something else. Maybe this kind of work has to return to its clandestine roots.
Is this how the empire collapses? All the hardline neocons on their way out are replaced with run of the mill neolibs who actually believe the propaganda they've been fed all these years. Who have no idea how to uphold the oppressive power of the institutions that they're taking over. If so, this is only going to get more and more hilarious to watch.