I agree. Hence my problem with them. I admire the latter ideal far more.

What makes you think I have a problem with that? My greatest concern at the end of Elayne's storyline in WH was that she would refrain from utilizing the Power in her defense of Caemlyn out of some misguided attempt to adhere to White Tower ideals. People are going to fight over those reasons anyway, what is wrong with them having Healers sworn to the same service in their armies? What is wrong with them fighting with Power-wrought weapons or armor? The difference will be that everyone will have them, and people will be on an even footing, without some shadowy organization that is loyal to no one and nothing but their own agenda nand power. The One Power will also be a check on tyrants, who may have to fear a fireball or lightning bolt striking their palaces. Spread out the channelers, make them work for a living and don't keep them remote and aloof and above ordinary people. Let people see that they are just men & women, albeit with an extra capability, and they will be less afraid of them, and more likely to do the right thing in the face of One Power bullying. If you know a channeler is no smarter or superior just by virtue of his special ability, you will eventually realize that they are susceptible to a knife in the back, and channelers have a harder time tyrannizing.

Oh, yes. And thanks to the White Tower, they never splinter or squabble and have been focussed on fighting the Dark One from the day the Dragon was Reborn. If they did not hold unity to be so important, the split would not have been a detriment. If there were other channeling institutions, the splits would have been perfectly normal, and they would be doing what they always did. A split-up channeling population is also a lot harder for the Shadow to influence, since there is no disproportionate monolith that you can take control of by moving your people into key administrative positions. If you want channelers TRYING to fight the Dark One, maybe Malkier would still exist, if they had their own channelers, rather than needing to wait for the White Tower to get off their ass and send a belated expedition all the way to Malkier. Agelmar claimed Moiraine would be worth a lot of soldiers he desperately needed in Tarwin's Gap, but if not for the White Tower's monopoly, he could have had them! If the other rulers had channelers augmenting their forces, perhaps they could have felt comfortable sending help to Shienar!

Wow, what a meaningless bit of blather! I think any one person with such power to affect change is a horrific notion, regardless of her personal qualities. Do I think Egwene will be a good Amyrlin? Yes. Do I think it is better to have no Amyrlin at all than a good one? Also yes.

Are you that stupid? Do you really think I would be unable to come up with a 50 page thesis laying all the blame at Egwene's door?