A Wartime President By Choice

To the Editor:

George W. Bush became a “Wartime President” by his own choice. He wanted to go to war and he did. He had not the mind to perceive the costs of war, or to listen to those who knew those costs. He did not understand that you do not go to war when it is one of the options, but when it is the only option; you do not go to war when you want to but because you have to.

And he went to his war with a litany of lies and with reverences for God and the flag and democracy, but just what he and his neoconservative advisers are doing to our democracy is choking the life out of it.

He does not mourn. He does not understand why he should mourn. To mourn is to express regret and he regrets nothing. He does not regret that his reason for going to war was, as he knew, unsubstantiated by facts. He does not regret that, rather than controlling terrorism, his war in Iraq has licensed it. So, he never mourns for the thousands of dead and crippled youngsters who have fought his war of choice. He cannot mourn, but is a figure of such moral vacancy as to make us mourn for ourselves. 

Hamilton Brosious

46 Jeremiah Road, Sandy Hook                               October 26, 2004