6.23.2007 | "reparations"

Christian charity prevents me from writing the adjective that first came to mind when I read the following paragraph from, who else, an Episcopal priest:

My prescription for a way out, I freely admit, is based on policy considerations, not necessarily a moral compass. My sense is that the best -- or rather, the least-damaging -- course would be to initiate a gradual pullout of U.S. forces, to be replaced by an international force. The United States would be morally obligated, in my judgment, to finance these forces as well as to pay reparations to the people of Iraq. (emphasis added)

Now, this is not exactly surprising, had it come from a known Nutroots supporter of Dennis Kucinich (well, we can't rule out that this priest is one such...). But this particular bit of lefty wisdom was featured in the "On Faith" section of the WaPo.

The perspectives displayed at "On Faith" are usually, though not exclusively, from the liberal side of the faith spectrum. This one seems to have been crafted from the Sean Penn School for Idiotarians. The "school" was sent up by Trey Parker and Matt Stone as shown in the graphic; the Hollywood branch is the Film Actors Guild (F.A.G.) and one of its underpinnings is that America is the source of all bad things.

The curious notion is that, after expending our blood and treasure to liberate Iraq from a genocidal dictator, we, somehow, owe the Iraqi people "reparations." This is allowing hatred of a failed American policy, if not actual hatred of America, to blind one to some truths.

The first truth is that we are not responsible for over a thousand years on enmity between Sunnis and Shiites, who are now busy as little beavers -- beavers with AK-47s and suicide bombers. The second truth is that we have invested billions of our tax dollars in repairing Iraq, in building roads, schools, hospitals, even mosques. The third truth is that Iraqis are now free to choose their own destiny, or will be after we leave. The fourth truth is that were we to leave today, Iraq would descend into an even bloodier chaos. Many, many more Muslims would die at the hands of their brother Muslims.

If any reparations are owed, it is to those families who have lost loved ones in defending a people, the Iraqis, who can't save themselves. This Episcopal priest is, shall we gently say, an idiot. And that's as gentle as I can be.

Last point: whether or not this priest is an idiot, one must wonder why something he admits is "based on policy considerations, not necessarily a moral compass" appears in the On Faith section. You don't suppose it reflects any bias on the part of the WaPo, do you?