Pray for the President

Iran is a riddle — a problem, actually. A huge problem, I would say. Even a crisis, in my estimation.

But what if certain small nations – perhaps including some ruled by reckless dictators who could not be counted on to behave sensibly – developed or obtained nuclear weapons? That was the real nightmare.

The trouble is that at least two relatively small but obstreperous nations – Iran and North Korea – are becoming sophisticated enough, technologically, to construct nuclear weapons, and are showing every sign of intending to use them to blackmail the rest of the world.

This grim problem has shown up on President Bush’s watch, and he cannot escape having to decide what to do about it. Earlier presidents gladly postponed a decision, but Bush doesn’t have that luxury. […] Bush alone must decide.

Such are the considerations President Bush must be weighing, and it is difficult not to feel sorry for him as he does so. But he sought the presidency, after all, including its burdens. Iran is clearly one of the greatest, and war (in the form of air strikes) simply cannot be ruled out.

May God direct him.