Left Behind

Fouad Ajami appeals to George Bush's inner Rambo with the heartfelt plea, "Mr. President, do not leave this man behind."

In "The Soldier's Creed," there is a particularly compelling principle: "I will never leave a fallen comrade." This is a cherished belief, and it has been so since soldiers and chroniclers and philosophers thought about wars and great, common endeavors. Across time and space, cultures, each in its own way, have given voice to this most basic of beliefs. They have done it, we know, to give heart to those who embark on a common mission, to give them confidence that they will not be given up under duress. A process that yields up Scooter Libby to a zealous prosecutor is justice gone awry.

Your first mistake, Fouad, is an appeal to martial bravery and honor. They don't call Bush A.W.O.L. for nothing. The man couldn't be bothered to complete his military service, much less get within 6,000 miles of his fallen comrades. And Bush didn't give a shit when Dick Cheney and his crew gave up a covert agent without duress, and act done, in his old man's words, by "the most insidious of traitors."

If Libby gets sprung, the only reason will be to protect Bush from what Libby might say in prison. Bush has no loyalty or honor or even comrades. You might as well appeal to his ability to fart the 1812 Overture.