July 23, 2007

Lately I've been rather disappointed by some of our political leaders, for many reasons, but at least these disappointing leaders have started being more honest. You may've heard that they're unwilling to wait for reports to declare Iraq a failure. They are admitting that they aren't willing to actually learn information about the situation in Iraq before making policy decisions.

At first I thought this was simply annoying, but as I write this, I find myself refreshed by their honesty. Now we can all admit that their plans to "Run away! Run away!", in the words of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", are actually produced by things other than a sober strategic outlook.

Their behavior has now even become amusing, as they announce that no news from the front or appeals to solidarity can change their minds. It's rather amusing to hear proponents of open-mindedness and compromise declare that, no matter what the situation in Iraq may actually be, they're sure it's deteriorating and will run away from it as soon as possible, and fellow elected officials who disagree are entirely in the wrong. It is ironic that many leaders who think this way purport to be carrying on in the great philosophical tradition of rationally inquiring into the facts and then making a sober, realistic judgment from them.

The leaders' actual behavior is clapping their hands over their ears to keep from hearing what they don't want to hear, but in yet another irony, what they don't want to hear is anything resembling good news.