Originally Posted by foundit66

In the military, we had a fairly strict standard of the Captain of the ship being responsible for what happened underneath him.
If the sonar-man screws up and fails to report a contact that the Officer of the Deck doesn't notice, and a collision takes place, the Captain is responsible.
He qualified the OOD.
He qualifies the superiors of the sonar watch.

He is responsible.

Cheney? Bush?
Not so much so when the people under them break the law.
No visible concern over being lied to either...

Ignorance is not an excuse.
Not for something this agregious.