PRESIDENTIAL DILEMMAS

My wife always tells me I should run for President someday. I used to think to myself that I'd like being President, but I wouldn't like doing what it took to become President. But now I wonder if I would ever want the job at all.

I mean, think about all the dilemmas. I don't know about you, but this war on terror downright confuses me. Is it possible to abhor and applaud both sides at the same time? Clearly, war is a horrendous thing, and ought not be entered into lightly, or in a cavalier fashion, or for not so noble (read: oil) purposes. Then again, we are talking about ruthless dictators who feed like sharks on talk of "diplomacy" and "appeasement" and "agreements," and who can only be silenced by forceful action.

Even if I felt comfortable with a particular side in this debate, would I feel comfortable enforcing it as the leader of the most powerful country in the world? On the one hand, my heart swells like Theodore Roosevelt's with pride that America is as powerful as it is, and that with such power we ought to take responsibility to ensure peace and freedom everywhere. We need not be ashamed to be the biggest and most powerful kid on the block; but with it comes a moral duty to use power for good and not evil.

But on the other hand, I am aghast at the hubris with which our country sees itself, and am ashamed to be part of a nation that has committed so many atrocities in the name of "manifest destiny." With power comes the seductive temptation to do whatever is best for ourselves, with light regard for others punier than we. And indeed our history is littered with the wreckage of such attitudes. (Although, unfortunately, our history books are not.)

If you had to nail me down to a position, I'd have to say that I'm for this war in Iraq. I wouldn't have said that even two months ago, and I might not say that two weeks from now. But I hope that's not because I'm wishy-washy. (Or maybe that means exactly that I am wishy-washy.)

I trust that America is built on too many noble principles for it to waver from them in this time of need. And I no longer think that conciliatory gestures have any effectiveness on evil men and women who concentrate power, kill innocents, and manipulate everything -- negotiations, media, and their own people -- for selfish and dastardly purposes. May we be humble and prayerful in our actions, especially if they involve bloodshed and massive military spending. But may we not shirk the opportunity to stand tall in the face of terror and beat it down.