We hear his motivations (wanting to save Fereldan, paranoia about the Orlesians) but some of his decisions seem to fall outside that scope. Poisoning Arl Eamon? Contracting a blood mage to do it? Allowing Arl Howe to run roughshod over the people? Was he just a really bad when it came to choosing allies?
*Stole this format from @FlamesOfChaos13