Four Years of Failure

"After four years of failure . . . by the experiment of war, the time has come to demand that immediate efforts be made for a cessation of hostilities."

Sound familiar? Which political leader or major newspaper do you think made the above statement?

Actually, it comes from the Democratic Party's platform in the presidential nominating convention that began in Chicago on August 29, 1864. Yes, 1864. Four years into the administration of Abraham Lincoln; just three days before the fall of Atlanta and less than eight months before the surrender of Robert E. Lee.

Dissent and name calling are nothing new in American politics. Since the Revolution, more than two centuries ago, every war the U.S. has been involved in has had a sizable and vocal element of the American population who felt strongly that the war was not justified, being managed ineptly, and just plain wrong. Protest was not invented in the Vietnam era.

Each protester who believes that the President is an immoral idiot for leading us into war is free to say so; secure in the knowledge that the freedom to do so is protected in this nation--as it is in few countries of the world.

That freedom was won and maintained by Presidents who rose above the popular passions of the moment to do what they believed was right for the country--in spite of domestic criticism. Not all were wise, and all made mistakes. But they acted on behalf of the country. No man who has had to order another to go into harm's way, can take such responsibility lightly. And, every war time president that we have had has felt that burden.

The strength and sincerity of the opposition now being displayed toward American policy in the war against terror is not new. This would not be America if we did not have it. In the same vein, the fact that it is strong does not mean that it is right.

But, thank God that we have it. For it keeps us as a country honest and it forces those who are in power to explain their actions and goals to the America people. And, when they do, we are unstoppable. As Abraham Lincoln said during his first debate with Stephen Douglas in 1858:

"With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed."