Random Musings, round--uh---(I've lost count...)

So, apparently, George Bush has finally decided that maybe it would be a good idea to come to a compromise with the senators in his own party that disagree with his proposed re-definition of the Geneva Convention. About damn time...I mean, it you're going to talk about treatment of POWs, most people in Congress really have no idea. But John McCain WAS a POW, knows first-hand how it feels--and if he's opposed to legislation regarding POWs, you damn well better give him a little respect on the subject. He's actually one of the few people in Congress I have any respect for...

I loved Erica's video clip of Keith Olberman lambasting the administration for their conduct of the War on Terror. If you haven't watched it yet, go check it out.

Anyone else feel a little less than impressed with the Pope's latest 'apology'? He's sorry that Muslims are upset by what he said. He also says that he was quoting a medieval text that doesn't reflect his thinking. Ummmm...if it doesn't reflect your thinking, then why quote it? I mean, if he'd quoted it, and then pointed out how narrow-minded it was, or even said that we need to move beyond that kind of entrenched orthodoxy in judging the world's religions, that would be different. I can see why Muslims are upset. I don't think they need to be THAT upset (I mean, if you're pissed at someone and want to get back at them, break their stuff, not their neighbors' stuff...a lot of Muslims still think that Christian equals Catholic and vice versa)--but I understand their ire.

Israel FINALLY decided that, yes, it would be a good idea to have someone investigate the way the recent Lebanese military operations were carried out (they're calling it a war...I still think of war in grander terms than that...guess it's kind of conditioned. I mean, it wasn't even 40 days. Operation Desert Storm was short, too...but we still call it by that name most of the time, I hear very few people talk about the 'First Persian Gulf War'...) Even in that admission, they're hedging their bets--because they've limited the authority of the commission. They could have selected a commission empowered to dismiss people from government or military service, but they chose to set up an advisory committee instead. Guess Olmert's stalling to see which way the wind blows...this way, HE gets the credit for firing someone, or for keeping them in place despite recommendations. Nice to know politics is politics, regardless of where in the world they are or the religious/ethnic background of the people involved. At least some things in the world are consistent.

I recently spent a lot of time commenting on someone's blog (on another site, sorry guys) about whether love was selfish or selfless. As with many other things, that's all relative...why are you doing what you're doing is often as important, or more important, than what you are actually doing. If money is the root of all evil, then why are so many philanthropists hailed as such wonderful people? Atomic weapons are bad...but atomic energy, used correctly, could be such a boon (unfortunately, because we're cheap, impatient creatures, we tried to tap into the energy source before we learned all the safety lessons, and so people will forever think of places like Three Mile Island and Chernobyl when anyone discusses atomic power plants). In the end, only we can determine, ourselves, why we do something...and while we can make educated guesses, none of us can truly know the motives behind anything anyone else does.

Which doesn't excuse George Bush from being a bad president. If you're going to be didactic, imperious, judgemental, pushy, and impetuous, at least try to be competent about it. And if you're not, then stop acting surprised when people call you on it.