We all know that President Bush doesn't care what we think, but it appears that he doesn't repsect his father's opinion either, saying that he "answers to a higher Father" instead. Excuse me?
Does this mean that in the run-up to war, rather than discuss the situation with someone who had "been there, and done that", he trusted that God would provide the answers through divine inspiration?
Maybe I'm out of the mainstream here, but I don't believe that God takes a direct hand in human events. I think that he expects us to use the resources around us and our own (God-given) abilities to make our way. To my way of thinking one of those resources for the current President would have to be the President's father, the only person with personal experience with the issue of committing troops to a war.
There's a popular parable that refers to exactly this situation:
Torrential rains, dangerous flooding
Warnings sent throughout the town.
Leave your homes and get to safety
You'll be fine on higher ground.
Taking children, pets and treasures
Most locked their homes and went
But one said "I'm religious,
Help will come, by heaven sent.
In a while he heard a boat outside
A man called - Come with me!
The town is flooding, we can save you
But he stayed on bended knee.
I'm religious, God will save me!
I'd be weak to leave my home,
I know His eye is on the sparrow
And that I'm not here alone.
A little later he heard whirring
A chopper hovered overhead
We'll drop a rope, hold tightly to it;
No, God will save me, what he said.
I'm religious, God will intervene
I am confident, I prayed
I'll be safe from rising waters
So they left, and the man stayed.
He drowned, and faced St. Peter,
Perplexed, confused, the whole thing odd,
Irate at his unanswered prayers
He demanded to see God.
Standing straight with all conviction
He said Why did you let me die?
I did exactly as you taught me
And I insist you tell me why.
In booming voice "I sent you warnings,
I sent men twice, it was so clear
That your prayers were being answered,
It's not my fault you didn't hear."
It is pretty clear to me, that in his arrogant belief that he is the chosen of God, that the President is turning a blind eye, or a deaf ear, to the assistance that he has been given. Maybe that's why the wheels have come off the wagon in Iraq, and a bloody mistake has been made even bloodier.