Saturday, May 12, 2007

The Road Out of Baghdad

Anyone who knows much about the bible knows the story of St. Paul on the road to Damascus. He heard the voice of God and had his famous epiphany, changing him from a persecutor of Christians to perhaps the greatest Christian apostle.

I have previously written about one Congressman's personal epiphany; that being the revelation to Jim Walsh (brought on by his narrow re-election in 2006) that he should abandon any semblance of conservative principle so as to maintain his position. The last few days, however, have seen a number of Republican Congressmen make a pilgrimage to the White House to "speak truth to power" on the Iraq War, they apparently having had similar personal revelations. What "truth" were they speaking to the President, you ask? The fact that polls show that increasing public disenchantment with the war is endangering 2008 GOP electoral chances!

Ah, the courage is breathtaking, isn't it?

Fortunately, there are a few politicians who actually understand that the real goal of public service is public service not perpetuation of political careers. Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman are such politicians. Both of them criticised members of their own parties for their craven refusal to stand up and do what is right, even if it is unpopular. Bill Kristol, in this Weekly Standard editorial, quoted both of them and wrote quite pointedly about disgraceful behavior of most of our current politicians.

The New York Sun posted an editorial in the same vein. That piece recounted a story about Abe Lincoln's reaction to faint-heartedness of politicians and editorialists during dark days of the Civil War.

Read them both. I'm sure you will understand and agree with the premises of both editorials. Our politicians are failing us at an important hour in our history. It really is a question of whether or not we are in the beginning of the decline and fall of the West.

(Hat-tip to PowerLine).

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