Doubletake

Sometimes you hear something...or you think you hear it...and then it sinks in: what was said and who was saying it.

For instance, any idea who said this recently?

I don't see how you can be a partner in peace if you don't renounce violent aims.

Yes, folks, that was U.S. President Geroge W. Bush. Can we have a slow-motion replay, please, just in case he didn't hear his own words?

I don't see how you can be a partner in peace if you don't renounce violent aims.

Now he was talking about Hamas, and there seems to be some question whether he said violent means or violent aims, and interestingly it is hard to find the direct quote in very many places on the web, but I saw the speech aired and, whether its means or aims, the deep irony of the statement remains. If it is true for Hamas, certainly it would be true for the United States, right? Or is this where we pull another Get Out of Jail Free card from our sleeve (since we control the game, after all).

I would suggest that we not get too cocky about our control and our ability to cheat at will. The position of the banker usually rotates in Monopoly, and next time we land on Boardwalk, China may be calling on us to pay up. And when the crazed power dreams of the now-powerful in this country are rudely interrupted by the wake-up call of global political realities, we may wish we had listened to our own words about how to be partners in peace.

Until then, I guess we'll continue giving what we refuse to take...good advice.