Forgiveness
Now here's a fascinating new twist: President Bush has admitted that the Iraq invasion was based on faulty intelligence and taken the blame himself for acting on it.
A few (notably Andrew Sullivan who has always been for the war and against the way it has been waged) have applauded this new turn and said all the president has to do to gain support for the war is to come clean with us because most Americans want to win the war.
Maybe.
President Bush continues to believe the war was the right thing to do even though the stated reasons for it were wrong. We all know logic is not his long suit and I could imagine circumstances under which we might grant him that the war was a good idea. I have yet to see any perusasive argument, but there might be one. If you thought, for instance, that we needed to make a strong military move in the middle east in order to persuade the Islamic world that we are not isolationist and will not try to resolve our conflict by retreating to our shores.
But all I read, and what I conclude, is that our invasion has not only stirred up more hatred for our nation in that part of the world, but has strengthened their belief that we cannot rule even a weak country like Iraq so long as they oppose us. The British learned this some time ago.
But perhaps some will find the president's mere candor enough to cut him slack and gin up support for his policies.
I remember a Rabbi once telling me he didn't understand the Christian notion of repentance being sufficient for forgiveness. Seems like all you have to do, he said, is say your sorry and no matter how henious your offense, the slate is wiped clean. In Judaism you must set the matter right, provide justice, before forgiveness can be offered. Which, he explained, is the reason for the absolute prohibition against murder. It cannot be set right.
It is not enough for the president to say he's sorry he got it wrong. Somehow the deaths of at least 30,000 Iraqis and over 2,000 Americans must be amended for. Not to mention the incalculable ravages of war on ours and the world's economy and geo-political affairs.
Stark choice: convince us the war was necessary, or withdraw in shame.
A few (notably Andrew Sullivan who has always been for the war and against the way it has been waged) have applauded this new turn and said all the president has to do to gain support for the war is to come clean with us because most Americans want to win the war.
Maybe.
President Bush continues to believe the war was the right thing to do even though the stated reasons for it were wrong. We all know logic is not his long suit and I could imagine circumstances under which we might grant him that the war was a good idea. I have yet to see any perusasive argument, but there might be one. If you thought, for instance, that we needed to make a strong military move in the middle east in order to persuade the Islamic world that we are not isolationist and will not try to resolve our conflict by retreating to our shores.
But all I read, and what I conclude, is that our invasion has not only stirred up more hatred for our nation in that part of the world, but has strengthened their belief that we cannot rule even a weak country like Iraq so long as they oppose us. The British learned this some time ago.
But perhaps some will find the president's mere candor enough to cut him slack and gin up support for his policies.
I remember a Rabbi once telling me he didn't understand the Christian notion of repentance being sufficient for forgiveness. Seems like all you have to do, he said, is say your sorry and no matter how henious your offense, the slate is wiped clean. In Judaism you must set the matter right, provide justice, before forgiveness can be offered. Which, he explained, is the reason for the absolute prohibition against murder. It cannot be set right.
It is not enough for the president to say he's sorry he got it wrong. Somehow the deaths of at least 30,000 Iraqis and over 2,000 Americans must be amended for. Not to mention the incalculable ravages of war on ours and the world's economy and geo-political affairs.
Stark choice: convince us the war was necessary, or withdraw in shame.
posted by Blayney at 3:12 PM
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