Frahne Franovitch was the most tormented soul I’ve ever met, and after complaining bitterly about the situation in his homeland of Afghanistan in the 1970’s, Frahne took his own life in complete and utter despair, because he could not see that there would ever be any resolution for himself or his homeland. Maybe he truly did see things as they were — or would become.
So, presidential candidates, forgive me if I’m skeptical of political leaders with military “answers” for that part of the world. Even now I can hear Frahne protest that no one would ever successfully occupy Afghanistan. All those ethnicities, religions and politics at odds and perhaps reflected internally for Frahne (whose mother I seem to recall was Pakistani) and whose academic pursuits consisted largely of world history, current affairs, and humanistic psychology.
Here we are at strategic crossroads within Afghanistan, complicated by the geopolitical crossroads status of Syria and Israel’s fear of diplomatic isolation. It doesn’t appear we can either train or hand over control to the Afghans fast enough to avoid a broad and serious global entanglement. Aside from prayer, true hope for any diplomacy lies only in a calm and culturally-based approach. And, at this critical moment in time, what exactly does presidential candidate, Mr. Santorum, choose to do? He robs us of a calm, cultural approach with his very public admonishment of President Obama for his apology to followers of the Quran!
Our soldiers were guilty — even if inadvertently — of a first-strike offense with the public burning of the Quran. There were better ways to handle the matter. If the books held secret code, why had they not been placed elsewhere securely and safely as evidence? How does one “inadvertently” burn evidence? As for Mr. Santorum who lays claim to being a Christian, is he oblivious that there are also Christians in that part of the world for whom his words could put at risk? Does he not realize that we have US citizens residing in that part of the world? Christians and American citizens know how to be — and can be — respectful of other faiths without diminishing our own — and it does not require one to be as enlightened as the Dalai Lama to do so!
How bold to preach democracy and religious freedom to the rest of the world and then inadvertently sanction the burning of religious documents within those very nations.
Has Mr. Santorum confused his belief in “end-times” with a misplaced subliminal desire to strike the match that brings it upon us? Attempting to escalate the convoluted and sensitive situation in the Mid-East is no way for any leader to behave. That Mr. Santorum clearly felt such a statement would be sanctioned by any percentage of his party or the populace is as much evidence of attempting to carve out political approval as it is evidence of the bullying mentality that has taken hold in school yards. Had even 24 hours elapsed between Mr. Santorum’s admonishment of President Obama and the Ohio school shooting? Call it “coincidence” if it suits you, but I see it as testimony to the need for intelligent foreign policy leadership — and evidence of the increasing inability and unwillingness of persons to simply say, “I’m sorry” whether they’re in a school yard, on the campaign trail, or in the halls of the United Nations.
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Never can say sorry was originally published by ARTS & FARCES internet on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 at 5:17 PM CDT. Copyright © ARTS & FARCES LLC. All rights reserved. | ISSN: 1535-8119 | OCLC: 48219498 | Digital fingerprint: 974a89ee1284e6e92dd256bbfbef3751 (64.237.45.114)