I make it a policy to never speak ill of the recently deceased and to make allowances for those in mourning. So I’m not going to comment on Cindy Sheehan directly. But Ms. Sheehan, thanks for raising a fine young man who reenlisted for a second tour in Iraq and who volunteered for a dangerous mission to help his fellow soldiers and my condolences on his death. Casey Sheehan was a true American hero. I continue to support our war and mission in Iraq, and defer to Mohammed at Iraq the Model to explain one reason why I do and why your son didn’t die in vain.
But there are other questions that affect us all. For instance the cry goes up Why doesn’t Bush meet with her? Ezra Klein even pointed out the smart political way to handle such a meeting — fly in grateful and photogenic Iraqis and have them talk to her. Both these gentlemen feel that the reason President Bush doesn’t meet with her is a mixture of stupidity and arrogance. Maybe (I’m no mind reader), or it could be a simple matter of principle — you can’t demand an audience of the President — not because he necessarily has better things to do in a particular instance, but because once you start down that road there is no end to it. Who exactly is President worthy, who gets to decide, and how do they? Egalitarianism is as American as apple pie, but there are limits to any President’s time. And if President Bush meets with Ms. Sheehan, who can he refuse? He’d be at the beck and call of at least 3,600 people. And if she wants another meeting again, can he say two is enough (because one apparently wasn’t)? A President is in charge of his own time. It’s not like he doesn’t already meet with the families of soldiers — fallen or not — and wounded soldiers themselves. I honestly don’t think any more can be demanded of any President.
And is Ms. Sheehan’s pain, as awful as it is, really an argument specifically against the war in Iraq? As a general indictment of war, yes, but who doesn’t understand the costs of war – the death and destruction, the pain and anguish? But there are costs to both action and inaction, and the calculus of the two is terrible. Do we give veto power to a single grieving mother? Congress can vote to go to war, but if just one mom opposes, then we should end the war – and the consequences can sort themselves out? I don’t think so. So much for representative government and sober judgement if we do.
Sadly, while Ms. Sheehan’s pain and anguish is all too real, her media circus in Crawford is all sound and fury, signifying nothing.
