David Warren has an interesting essay up on the question of telling the truth (courtesy Jane Galt). While the column is critical of the naivete of the anti-war protestors and perhaps more generous about the motives of the Bush administration than I would be (to say the least), I generally find myself in agreement with his main point.

Notwithstanding, the sheer complexity of the State's position requires a higher order of truth-telling than would be convenient in private affairs. It is more, not less necessary, in a free country, if the electors themselves are to confront realities instead of illusions. And the power of that State rests, ultimately, on its transparency and truth. The U.S. won the Cold War because, on balance, it told the truth, and on balance the Soviets told lies. It would have won it rather sooner telling something like the whole truth on all occasions. And likewise today, truth remains the ultimate weapon of free men, as lies are the weapons of tyrants. Truth is courage, lies are cowardice, and the victory is finally to the true.

Unfortunately, we are lead by people who believe that the truth is a commodity to be doled out only to close friends and business associates (and, even then, only if they can profit by it). Otherwise, they believe in holding back the truth until forced to do otherwise. Consider how much closer the world would be in (grudging) agreement with the U.S. on Iraq if the Bush administration had just been more willing to be honest in its presentation. Instead it has adopted the attitude of the dictator that believes that questioning is a form of rebellion and must therefore be squashed. Bush is both and idiot and a liar. He is an idiot because he is a liar. Very rarely have we seen a leader so adept at doing just the wrong thing at the wrong time to piss of so many who would otherwise be sympathetic to his cause. Bush had the entire world in his pocket on 9/12/2001. He has squandered that goodwill even more effectively then his daddy did after Gulf War I. And why? Because he can't be honest for the life of him. He can't tell the truth even when the truth is no great danger to him. That is why he is an idiot. It's the lies that have driven a wedge between this administration and the world it is allegedly trying to lead. It is the lies that will ultimately destroy it. The only question remaining is whether they will destroy the rest of us in the process.