An Old West parable on Kerry's global test

The following letter was published on October 6, 2004 by
The Cape Cod Times
Cape Cod, Massachusetts

George Bush challenged John Kerry on the meaning of his remark during the Sept. 30 debate about a "global test" if a pre-emptive strike is used by an American president. Maybe the meaning of a "global test" would be more comprehensible to Mr. Bush if it were put in simple cowboy settings.

Setting 1: Let's imagine this little town in the Old West. A bank was robbed by a robber who claimed the money he took was stolen from him by the bank. The sheriff of the town went to all the houses in the town that had 18-year-old sons and fathers to get them to join a posse to pursue the robber.When the town found out the sheriff was a best friend of the owner of the bank, no one joined the posse.

Setting 2: Let's imagine an honest, loved bank that helped a lot of folks in this Old West town was robbed. The sheriff of this town did not have to ask folks to join a posse: 18-year-olds and fathers volunteered.

George Bush's rush to war didn't pass a "global test" because the human bank of the United Nations was robbed of that respect acquired through time out of mutual wisdom.