On Admitting Error

I have an acquaintance who I’m not sure still considers me a friend. Two years ago his emails argued with passion and certainty that invading Iraq was the right thing to. I felt the opposite -- that it was unwise and unnecessary. My emails argued with equal passion and certainty that it was a dumb move. It’s turning out that I was right.

I don’t say this to gloat. I could easily have been wrong. Iraq could well have turned out to be a great success, and I would be forced to admit that I was wrong. And I would admit. I would, however, have questioned the wisdom and judgment of taking such a huge risk, when weighed against the relatively minor danger posed by Saddam, even if you believed all the Adminstration's bullshit (which I'm proud to say I didn't).

This morning the thought occurred to me . . . What if I had been wrong? Would I have been willing to admit it?

I thought about it and decided that, yes, I would. I also noticed that it's not hard for me to admit it when I'm wrong, whereas for some people it’s very difficult. (Don't misunderstand me; I much prefer being right than wrong).

Perhaps it’s because the ability to “admit error” is a quality I so greatly admire in people. My father would occasionally and unpredictably admit he was wrong -- and I admired him the relatively few times he did. Today, I notice that I can’t bear people who refuse to admit error in the face of obvious truth. Bush is a great example.

It’s OBVIOUS to anyone but an ignoranus (a new word for person who’s both stupid and an asshole) that invading Iraq was a massive mistake.

It’s OBVIOUS that Bush would be a happier president without this war. My God, look what it’s doing to his presidency, his legacy and his party.

Yet, Bush continues to try to convince us that starting a war with Iraq was the right thing to do and that he "would do it all again."

I say his intransigence is hurting our country and costing lives. As long as he continues to insist he is right, and was right to invade, it makes it harder to set a course that will allow us extricate ourselves with some modicum of honor and responsibility.

I'm not for "cut and run," by the way -- although I disdain the Republicans' ability to fool the masses with clever wordsmithing.

Once, when I suggested to my daughter Amy that Bush should “admit he made a mistake,” she answered, “But Dad, he can't!” If he did, she reasoned, every right winger, every bereaved mother who now will have lost a son “in vain,” every Christian fundamentalist, every neoconservative, would be up in arms. In purely political terms, it would be disaster. Although in terms of what’s best for our country, it would be a courageous and noble thing to do.

I can forgive any mistake, even a costly one. We all make them. What I am unable to forgive is a refusal or inability to admit error. For that reason I could never vote for Hillary, or Lieberman, both of whom say they "don't regret" their support for the war. I respect Kerry, Edwards, and others for admitting they were wrong.

While we're on the subject, let’s cut to the chase and admit that the Bush Administration LIED TO US to get us into this war. Stop letting them off the hook by blaming it on faulty intelligence or even bad judgment. When Cheney said in August 2002 that there was “no doubt” that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. it was a bold-faced lie, counter to the views of the intelligence community. But when the VP stated it so explicitly, even the experts figured he must know something we don't.

Anyway, I'm curious about my Bush-loving acquaintance (friend?) who once argued so forcefully and effectively FOR going to war. Can he admit he was wrong? Or does he still insist he was right?

I don't know, althought I can hear him echoing Bush. “Things are a little tough over there right now," he might say, "but you'll see. In the long run, we'll be glad we did this and George Bush will go down as one of our greatest presidents. Better to fight ‘em over there than over here.”

Oh how I hate hearing Bush talk about our "mission" in Iraq and how we’re "fulfilling the dreams of the Iraqi people," which I heard him say the other night. What pathetic bullshit. When I think of the tens of thousands killed or maimed for life, the respect we've lost in the world (and deservedly so), the money it’s costing us, how we've further radicalized Islam and helped their recruiting efforts, how we've empowered Iran, how we're weaker as a country than we were, I’m saddened -- and pissed. And we have just one ignoranus to thank for it.