Since the invasion of Iraq four years ago, the worthy dream of President George W. Bush has been the democratization of Iraq. But wearing horse blinders from the outset-with poor intelligence, not enough troops, no knowledge of Islamic culture, and refusal to reach out to present and elder statesmen for counsel before charging into the valley of death, the Commander-in-Chief of the United States now stands at a crossroad in history. What must horse and rider do? Take the high road or the low-and where is the finish line?

Since the president and many of his supporters subscribe to “the end times,” with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse leading the way to Armageddon, it is fitting to revisit Revelation 6:5-6, as it describes the Third Horseman “…and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages-and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

Ah. Certainly let’s not damage that oil. Determined not to let former Secretary of State James Baker steal the spotlight with his Commission’s anxiously awaited December report, Mr. Bush uses his Middle East trip to repeat worn out one-liners and sound-bites: American troops will not leave Iraq “until the mission is complete.” And “nothing less than victory.” This from the man who knows nothing about the history of the very place where he insists Americans must continue to die each day.

The ancient land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers has known countless invaders, from old Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon to assorted conquerors like Alexander the Great, the Sumerians, Babylonians, Persians, the Arabs, the Turks, the French, the British and little old US. Doubtless there will be others after we are gone. The place holds the blood of zillions, and one of the largest oil reserves on earth. How many American sons and daughters is that oil worth, how many barrels of blood?

Mr. President: Did you not hear the outcry of the American people on November 7, 2006? Stay the course was not an option then nor is it now. The people did not vote for Democrats or Republicans when they “swift-booted” your party out of office. They voted for change. You are not listening to the people. You never have.

Repeating the same message again and again, Adolph Hitler used the psychology of the big lie to horrendous effect. But continuing to insist Al-Qaeda is the major instigator of the Iraq war serves only to distract and muddy the waters. Of course Al-Qaeda has a hand in the chaos and most certainly rejoices in it. But the (Rove) tactic of ignoring what is, and consistently repeating what is not, no longer works. Been there.

Mr. President: What were you thinking when for six years you ignored the smoldering cauldron between Israelis and Palestinians? When you gave your blessings to the wasteful, poorly executed invasion of Lebanon by Israel? Now another American-supported wobbling democracy, Lebanon, teeters on the brink of collapse through formidable Hezbollah forces, supported by Syria and Iran.

Mr. President: Diplomacy first. Now that our strengthened enemies have the upper hand, they do not want or need anything from us, except for us to get out. You have a talented corps of career diplomats. Colin Powell knew that. By not using your State Department from the beginning instead of shock-and-awe-Rumsfeld, by not tirelessly pursuing diplomacy throughout the Middle East, you made the biggest mistake of your presidency, cost us thousands of dead and wounded, and made America’s goals in the region, whatever they are at this point, all the more difficult.

Might you not consider a suggestion from a 10th century monk: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

“Simplicity-Courage-Humor-Soul”®
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