[Verse 1] In the Pentagon halls where the brass convene They had all the data, knew what it would mean Vietnam was unwinnable, reports made it clear But they nodded along, driven by career fear McNamara later wrote "we were wrong from the start" But groupthink and ego had hardened each heart [Chorus] Why do giants stumble when they see the cliff ahead? Pride and pressure, echo chambers in their head Information flows up but gets filtered and bent Strategic failure was never the intent But knowing and doing are worlds apart When politics override the analytical heart [Verse 2] Tuchman traced the pattern through centuries of time From Troy to Vietnam, the same paradigm Leaders choose the path that serves their present need Though they know full well it's destined to mislead Wooden horse or body counts, the warning signs were there But immediate gains trump long-term care [Chorus] Why do giants stumble when they see the cliff ahead? Pride and pressure, echo chambers in their head Information flows up but gets filtered and bent Strategic failure was never the intent But knowing and doing are worlds apart When politics override the analytical heart [Bridge] Gambetta found the engineers who built their own demise Technical minds can rationalize the most destructive lies Organizational pathways lead smart people astray When ideology meets structure in a toxic display [Verse 3] The Joint Chiefs knew the truth but wouldn't make the call Dereliction of duty, they failed one and all Career preservation beat strategic sense While soldiers paid the price for their defense McNamara's retrospection came too late To change the course of systematic fate [Final Chorus] Why do giants stumble when they see the cliff ahead? Pride and pressure, echo chambers in their head Information flows up but gets filtered and bent Strategic failure was never the intent But knowing and doing are worlds apart When politics override the analytical heart [Outro] The pattern repeats through history's long arc Smart organizations stumbling in the dark Not from ignorance but from systemic flaws That turn clear sight into strategic pause
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