David and I are wonderful friends. We have different concerns. We are angry about different things, and sometimes we are angry about the same things. Our conversations are like summit meetings. Sometimes we each act as the emissary for the opposite side. It’s good debate because we both read, we’re both determined to be well-informed, and we both want to know what is going on. Anyway, he read Tom Friedman’s Op-Ed the other day about the “Euro-doves” and immediately fired off an email to me. I asked him if I could share it here, and he said yes. Here it is, in part:
— I’m sure you’ve read his Op-Ed today … I can’t tell you how his voice and his wisdom almost bring tears to my eyes. He can articulate so well the dormant fears I have about this administration. If the primary Bush motivation is to protect America from terrorism, then he must know that the rebuilding of Iraq after toppling their horrific government will be a major step in that direction, and, the right thing to do. If it’s just toppling the regime, killing Saddam, and moving on, then my fears about him and his administration are legitimized. Only an unenlightened fool could possibly think that leaving a country in chaos like that wouldn’t effect us and the world disastrously and would leave the growth of terrorism with yet again more fertilization.
We need the world. Maybe not militarily but definitely in the post-war effort. Does this administration have the humility, the stamina and the perspective to truly change that part of the world? I mean, do you think they do? I am so doubtful and it is becoming so clear to me how utterly poorly Bush is making his case around the world, particularly in contrast to Powell. The lack of humility is definitely the thing here for me, and I know, you say that after 9/11 humility shouldn’t be at the forefront … Perhaps not for the people who have felt this attack so acutely, but most certainly from our leaders who, be definition, are to be more advanced than us and can see through the emotions to a wiser course of action.
