Tragic situations to help bring clarity

From tmorange
Sent Wednesday, July 19, 2006 11:06 am
To letters@washpost.com
Subject Tragic situations to help bring clarity

Dear Editors,

"Sometimes it requires tragic situations to help bring clarity in the international community." This is what our president told members of Congress about the current crisis between Israel and Lebanon at a post-G8 summit briefing yesterday.

Quite a cold and callous remark, even for someone who dons the mantle of compassionate conservatism. Nevermind the suffering of both the Lebanese and Israeli people at the hands of those who wield power on their behalf. Nevermind whether the military responses currently being levied by these two nations upon one another are in any respects measured or proportional to the wrongs suffered. For this president, it only ever adds up to one thing: "there are terrorist elements who want to destroy our democratic friends and allies."

News flash, Mr. President: Americans have known this all-too well since 9/11. And I shudder to think of the howls of objection that would be raised if one dared suggest that 9/11 was a similar "tragic situation" that "help[ed] bring clarity in the international community," even though the global war on terrorism has since brought clarity and focus to Bush's then and still abysmal presidency.

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