I keep telling myself that, despite all appearances to the contrary these days, there are some rational Democrats. And today, there is evidence.

Orson Scott Card is a believing Mormon, like myself, and so his basic principles preclude the Dean-Kucinich approach to national defense. Here's the scripture:

Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church.

And they were doing that which they felt was the duty which they owed to their God; for the Lord had said unto them, and also unto their fathers, that: Inasmuch as ye are not guilty of the first offense, neither the second, ye shall not suffer yourselves to be slain by the hands of your enemies.

And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defendnd your families even unbloodshed. Therefore for this cause were the Nephites contending with the Lamanites, to defend themselves, and their families, and their lands, their country, and their rights, and their religion.

And it came to pass that when the men of Moroni saw the fierceness and the anger of the Lamanites, they were about to shrink and flee from them. And Moroni, perceiving their intent, sent forth and inspired their hearts with these thoughts�yea, the thoughts of their lands, their liberty, yea, their freedom from bondage.

And it came to pass that they turned upon the Lamanites, and cried with one voice unto the Lord their God, for their liberty and their freedom from bondage.

And began to stand against the Lamanites with power; and in that selfsame hour that they cried unto the Lord for their freedom, the Lamanites began to flee before them; . . ..

I don't know what the theological basis of Dean's antiwar position is. He's supposed to be an atheist, so I doubt he has one. But there is no logic or morality to what he seems to be advocating, nor to the Clinton administration's limp response to terrorist attacks.

The high water mark for anti-war was Vietnam, but too many people have not thought critically about that war. If the last century means anything, it's that delay in standing up to evil costs lives and untold misery and far more dollars that early intervention. It also shows that making allies of convenience with brutal regimes is best avoided. It is a shame to the U. S. that we provided any aid to Saddam or any other dictator. Lastly, as we consider the outcome of the Korean War and Vietnam, it seems more doubtful whether we fought those wars properly. Patton was right about the Russians.