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        <title>Comments for Burying The Lede On Iraqi Constitution</title>
        <description>We&apos;re the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost.  All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT,  and KA 2003-2007</description>
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            <title>Burying The Lede On Iraqi Constitution</title>
            <description>The peace-at-any-price crowd must be at their wits&apos; end these days. Those damnable Iraqis keep popping up like whack-a-moles, cheerfully waving those annoying purple fingers about as though they had something to celebrate. Meanwhile, the much-feared Arab Street has proved more unreliable than a deadbeat dad with two months back child support, a bottle of MadDog 20/20 and no forwarding address. What&apos;s the world coming to anyway? Day after day the press dutifully focused on the voluntary disenfranchisement of the Sunnis: an ethnic minority who (the media conveniently forgot to mention) for 30 years violently oppressed the majority of law-abiding...</description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:38:21 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Robert on 2005-10-22</title>
            <description>
                just wanted to tell you guys to keep up the good work you are doing in Iraq &amp; stateside, also I am creating a site for Junction City and surrounding areas, with up to date news, weather, sports, etc.
So when you have time stop on by.

Thanks
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33643</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33643</guid>
            <pubDate>Sat, 22 Oct 2005 23:03:56 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Shadow on 2005-10-21</title>
            <description>
                Kinda tough to keep the &quot;Iraq is another Vietnam&quot; myth going if you also report things like the validation of a constitution.

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            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33552</link>
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            <pubDate>Fri, 21 Oct 2005 10:12:44 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Cricket on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                pix of the Clintons?  That&apos;s oogie.  However, &apos;tis the season for ghosties and ghoulies and longety beasties and things that go bump in the night...

            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33517</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 21:46:34 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from SangerM on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Dang, John.  Use up enough space in your warning and visitors won&apos;t be able to find the comment block....

oh wait.. I&apos;m supposed to be quiet.  Ha!  As if!

As for all of the above. I am kind of surprised by the moron, but not too surprised.  Maybe that dweebo actually has a job, maybe not, but it reads to me like some dork who fell off a ladder while doing his dayjob dusting the lightbulbs on billboards.  What an a$$.  Did you get that kind of crap on VC all the Cassandra?  That would get old. . .

As for Jack&apos;s comment, I didn&apos;t take that as anything but humor.  Did I miss somethin&apos; here &apos;cause I laughed at the reality of the statement.  Tell people God is talking to you and you have to go visit people (or they come visit you).  Pretty standard.

But--and I really can&apos;t say it better than most of you have--God does talk to us.  All of us.  Some of us just don&apos;t hear it, others choose to ignore what we hear.  AND, just as it&apos;s true that my belief in God does not mean He exists, it is equally true that another person&apos;s disbelief doesn&apos;t mean He doesn&apos;t exist.

As for me, I choose to believe.  If other&apos;s choose not to listen or hear, too bad for them.  They truly don&apos;t know what they are missing.

V/R
SangerM
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            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33515</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 21:46:10 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Boquisucio on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                For me boid, I prefer pixs of The Clintons.  I have found that they keep Mikey regular.
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            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33512</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 19:27:02 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Cassandra on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Good point :)
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33506</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 18:22:38 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Neffi on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                hhhhhm... well- Cass, Lass,- I don&apos;t exactly sing the Hallelujah Chorus for the Yankee MSM, either...
If a story can be slanted to cast doubt or derision on the current occupant of the Oval Office then it will be picked up- source be damned, eh?
Sigh
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33505</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 18:15:33 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Cassandra on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Oh, but I *assure* you this will be picked up by the US papers Neffi. In fact, it already has been. That&apos;s why I quoted it. And why I was angry enough to post about it.

Sigh... it&apos;s only a matter of time.
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33503</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 17:59:00 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Neffi on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                <![CDATA[The Guardian quotes a 'senior Palestinian politician' along with a photo of a be-haloed Bush..
Once again, I am impressed by the intelligent and articulate folk who converse here... thanks for letting ME hang out.
But I must say that I am somewhat um, er... *less* impressed by this habit of discussing items published- as fact- in English 'newspapers'.
 The Guardian is best suited for lining the bottom of the budgie cage; as are most English 'newspapers'...
I lived in England for ten years, and I can assure you the English daily press is the WWF of the newspaper binness (excepting The London Times and perhaps one or two others).
Myself, I prefer the Weekly World News. 
<i>They</i> got the good stuff...]]>
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33502</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 17:54:09 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Cassandra on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                <![CDATA[<i>I for one, would be glad to give them Henny-Pennies some Night Train</i>

heh...]]>
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33500</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 17:29:43 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Boquisucio on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                I for one, would be glad to give them Henny-Pennies some Night Train, if they run outta MadDawg.
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33492</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 16:32:49 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Were-Kitten on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                &quot;It is not a persons religiousness or lack of same that should make people nervous. It is their actions we should worry about.&quot;

I love that, MM.

Wouldn&apos;t it be nice if we all really DID think that way?  Judge people by their actions and words, not their religion (or lack of one).


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            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33461</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 14:51:01 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Masked Menaceİ on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Continuing on something Kat brought up.
It should also be noted for those that fear theists (April, I&apos;m not saying this is you in any manner) is that the 3 of the 5 worlds worst mass murderers were atheists: 1st-Stalin (42.7 Million), 2nd-Mao (37.8 Million), 5th-Lennin (4 Million).

That&apos;s not to tar atheists with the &quot;murderous&quot; label, only to point out that both sides have their monsters.  It is not a persons religiousness or lack of same that should make people nervous.  It is their actions we should worry about.

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            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33458</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 14:26:50 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from kat-missouri on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                April, no, my comment was more a general direction to the news paper writer and those who would be his &quot;audience&quot;, those who are looking for something to reconfirm their belief that the president is a crazy guy who talks to himself.  LOL

April, you were probably right, he probably did mention that he prayed about it.  I mean he did say that before the start of the Iraq war, that he prayed about it.  I just don&apos;t find him the kind of guy to tell a nobody that he had direction from G-d to take those actions as if he had received them on a stone tablet.

I personally like FbL&apos;s description of how evangelical Christianity works.  I&apos;m a backslider myself, but always look on my good fortunes as being something I should be grateful for and that if I find myself in a difficult situation but it will help somebody, it is a duty and a privelege to be called on.  Whether an atheist will attribute that to a finer idea of humanity or a Christian as a calling from G-d, that can be an individual&apos;s decision.

however, I&apos;ve always found that G-d&apos;s directives said to finish the project regardless of how hard, to never give up, where I find that some humanist traditions draw a line and say &quot;to here I will go and no farther&quot;.  The humanist bent sometimes feels like it has a rather selfish streak in it as opposed to a feel of totally sacrificing self for the good of others as was shown by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (whether you believe that is real or metaphorical, it still has a lesson).

also, I have often wondered how secularist humanists believe they would have existed without Christianity?  It&apos;s like the child that totally rebells against the parent, who thinks that the parent taught them nothing or could teach them no more and now that child knows more than their Christian parent.  In real life, the child often grows up to a certain age and realizes that the parent wasn&apos;t completely wrong ;) So, i must wonder how long it may take the secularist humanist to do the same?  LOL
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33457</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 14:24:48 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from April on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Kat: &quot;does anyone really believe that the President told some jackleg he doesn&apos;t know that he had a conversation with God? Did you somehow have the impression that the President is actually an evangelizing pulpit beater that interjects God in all his conversations so that people know he&apos;s a Christian and he can take that opportunity to convert them?&quot;

Not sure if this was directed toward me or not--from what I know of you, Kat, I don&apos;t think so, but I&apos;m going to address it.  

Yes, I do think he had this conversation, but not with some jackleg he didn&apos;t know.  I forget who he had this conversation with--help me out here, was it the Prime Minister of Egypt?  I read about it then, forget who now.  But I don&apos;t think it was an example of disingenuous pulpit beating, or an attempt to convert anyone.  I think it was just frankness on his part--an attempt to explain himself, and to relate on a personal level to another dignitary with whom he was having a conversation, and to assure him of his earnest intentions.  He&apos;s George Bush.  It&apos;s what he does.  No arrogance intended, as far as I know.


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            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33446</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 13:39:23 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from kat-missouri on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                I just wanted to say...what MM said.  

You know of course that it wasn&apos;t just the age of reasoning, enlightenment and humanism that compelled the founding fathers to revolt, insist on freedom and preparet the declaration and constitution as they did.

Aside from the exodus of the jews in Genesis and the idea of protecting and caring for their neighbors through the new testament (particularly the gospels), the book of Psalms constant talks about freedom, rising up against oppressors and tyrants, securing safety and freedom for others, etc, etc, etc.

Is anyone uncomfortable with the fact that the Christian bible played a huge part in the decision making in revolting against the crown and creating this nation?  What is the difference between then and now?  200 years later we should be past talking to &quot;imaginary beings&quot; because we are so much more enlightened?  I suppose I find the whole conversation funny in many ways.  Now a man having a conversation through prayer with this lord and savior is a question of mental illness where 200 years ago it led to revolution and freedom.  150 years ago it led to the abolitionist movement and the eventual freedom of slaves and 50 years ago it led to the peaceful marches of Martin Luther King, Jr and civil rights movement.

Martin Luther King, Jr...I have seen the promise land.  I might not make it there with you, but I have stood on the mountain and looked down upon it.(close proximity)

He is re-interating Moses from the exodus.  why are people so afraid of a religion here in the United states which has sparked some of our best and most notable human rights achievements?  

Now that I&apos;ve said all this, does anyone really believe that the President told some jackleg he doesn&apos;t know that he had a conversation with God?  Did you somehow have the impression that the President is actually an evangelizing pulpit beater that interjects God in all his conversations so that people know he&apos;s a Christian and he can take that opportunity to convert them?

Now, I believe that the President prayed about the situation and felt that he was directed to take certain action or at least that he was comforted that his actions were right.  The reason this guy&apos;s commentary on it is so funny is that it is one of those comments guaranteed to scare the helk out of the non-religious &quot;make my burger secularist&quot; crowd, slyly equate his actions (mora relavitism) with those of the jihadist and he can&apos;t or won&apos;t answer back because to do so would mean to deny his faith.  Like Peter denying Jesus three times before the cock crows.

Or worse yet, when Pontius Pilate asks Jesus if he is a king.  Jesus answers something like &quot;you said it, not me, who do you think I am&quot;.  Why?  Because he knows to answer yes is certain death, but to answer no would be to deny himself and his father (G-d that is) and to do so means denying himself and his followers; being called a liar and a hypocrit to save his own life.

I&apos;m not comparing the President to Jesus, just making an observation that every Christian knows these stories and realizes what&apos;s at stake whenever someone starts using similar tactics.  Now they use hia words against him and, on pain of being ridiculed, shoved from office or separating him from his evangelical base making his presidency ineffective he cannot deny them or even respond.  

The only problem I have these days is figuring out who is playing the part of Pontius Pilate and who are the Pharisees and the clamoring rabble demanding crucifiction?  Unlike Pontius Pilate in the story, the papers are not leery of starting a revolt or demanding the crucifixion.  They are not impartial governors but seem more like the Pharisees hunting for another charge that is more offensive than the next to make their case for scourging and death.


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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 13:27:03 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Cassandra on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Fbl took the words right out of my mouth. I have always found it almost unbearably ironic that humanists, who admit of no authority higher than their own say-so, deem the Shrub arrogant when if you look at Fbl&apos;s interpretation (which is my own as well) the exact opposite is likely to be the case - the man is quite humbled by the responsibility laid on him.

I think it is normal for anyone of modern sensibilities to be uncomfortable with anything completely spiritual. After all, we don&apos;t really understand it, do we? Why do we always fear that which we don&apos;t understand?

Cricket, he needs to do a Ralph Ellison. But then calling him The Chimp would be racist.
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            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33440</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 13:16:05 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Cricket on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                One other comment:  I would prefer to have a leader profess his faith.  However, some things, as Christ so rightly pointed out, should not be spoken, as it He likened it unto casting pearls before swine and them not understing the value of it and turning and rending.

I do not lump anyone here into the swine category; far from it.  I am saying that if he is receiving revelation to guide him, that should be a personal thing, given all the anti God carp the liberals love to dish out...as if many of them would have a clue, since they are the ones who scream the loudest for God to be out of the schools and the state.  Given that fence, they naturally tend to know how God works.

Okay, run on sentence and I am tired, so drawing a huge breath, say that I pray for this man, and his advisors.  Just like I prayed when Clinton was in office (I think we all did :)) and other presidents.

One other thing:  Who is the Castle Chaplain? Hm?

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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 13:16:01 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Cassandra on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Fbl took the words right out of my mouth. I have always found it almost unbearably ironic that humanists, who admit of no authority higher than their own say-so, deem the Shrub arrogant when if you look at Fbl&apos;s interpretation (which is my own as well) the exact opposite is likely to be the case - the man is quite humbled by the responsibility laid on him.

I think it is normal for anyone of modern sensibilities to be uncomfortable with anything completely spiritual. After all, we don&apos;t really understand it, do we? Why do we always fear that which we don&apos;t understand?

Cricket, he needs to do a Ralph Ellison. But then calling him The Chimp would be racist.
            </description>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 13:16:00 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Cricket on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                I thought I recognized your scintillating wit, discerning eye and Use Of Alliteration.

Bush is hearing voices again?  You see, if he had his name tattoed on his knuckles and wore sunglasses while driving at night, played a mean harmonica in
a club in New Orleans, He Could Be Forgiven.
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 13:06:22 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Were-Kitten on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                MM.....
Baiting moi?

*giggle* gee.... like *that* takes a lot these days... haha!

It&apos;s ok- my leetle friend on your shoulder tells me all of your secrets.  She hides under the bed for a reason, you know.
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:58:42 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from April on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Masked Menace, I cannot disagree.  The effect of one is preferable to the effect of the other.

I&apos;m also certain that GW is not the first president to make decisions this way.  He&apos;s just the first to say so out loud, with his kooky sort of rhetoric.
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            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:56:38 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Fuzzybear Lioness on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                I find the quotes attributed to Bush about God &quot;telling him&quot; to do specific things to be rather at odds with other personal expressions of his faith. I&apos;m wondering if there may have been some interesting cultural and translation issues, here.  Evangelicals have lots of figures of speech and other colloquialisms that are unique and may be hard for &quot;outsiders&quot; to comprehend, much less translatable to an entirely different culture/language.

In addition, people unfamiliar with the evangelical style of faith at a personal level (other than with leaders or authority figures), have some real miscomprehensions about how the believer views him or herself.

For example, people have whispered that Bush believes he&apos;s been divinely placed where he is (president).  To someone unfamiliar with evanglicals or similar Christians, that sounds like a terrible boastful statement--as if the president believes he has somehow EARNED his place, that God has called him because he is an extra-good person or something.  But to most evangicals something like that is a humbling recognition and a great burden--a burden to be sure of one&apos;s relationship with God in order not to foul up what one has been entrusted with (among other things).  Furthermore, there is the belief that God is directing one&apos;s life--that one&apos;s position and authority are a divine gift, NOT an entitlement; the believer may see himself as a conduit for God&apos;s work, but NOT as the instigator of it.  There is a real sense of trying to discover God&apos;s desires while not letting one&apos;s faulty humanity screw it up.  I&apos;d wager this is why (as Bush has repeatedly said), he so appreciates those who prayer for him.

This view comes form the idea that many Bible stories are about screwed up people whom God entrusted with great things: Paul (a fierce persecutor of Christians who became a great evangelist), Mary Magdalene (believed to be a prostitute, later called one of Jesus&apos; most faithful followers), Jonah (a preacher who turned his back on God, but returned), King David (who had a man killed in order to get his wife, but was called a man after God&apos;s own heart when he repented), etc.  So for the evangelical, there&apos;s a strong belief that it actually the weak or broken whom God calls on--which is a scary and humbling proposition for those weak ones!

(Btw, I don&apos;t think I would fall into the evangelical category)

            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33433</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33433</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:54:16 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Were-Kitten on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                kewl!

A Cassandra Post!  *does happy dance*
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33432</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33432</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:53:48 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Masked Menaceİ on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                I&apos;m fully aware that many agnostics/atheists are of the opinion that enthusiasitic spirituality is a bad thing in and of itself regardless of the specific religion.  Thus enthusiastic Christianity is every bit abhorrent as enthusiastic Islamofascism.

However, I see a great gulf between saying &quot;I am compelled by God to kill all those who don&apos;t follow my God&quot; and &quot;I am compelled by God to come to the aid of the oppressed even though they do not follow my God&quot;.
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33430</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33430</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:47:54 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                <![CDATA[There had better be little to <b>no</b> lambasting in  here, April.  I will get grumpy with those who do (insert hairy eyeball).  There *have* been exceptions, but I'm not allowing for any on this topic or thread.

]]>
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33427</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33427</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:35:34 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from April on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                I&apos;m not all bent out of shape about Bush&apos;s conversations with God.  But his acknowledgement of it does make me a little uncomfortable.

While I have a spiritual side, I recognize it as something that is uniquely mine and not necessarily rational.  When Bush talks about God telling him to do things, I can&apos;t help but lump him in with irrational spiritualists (Nancy Reagan and astrology, anyone? Pat Robertson? That yogi who tried to run for president a few years back? Al-Zaqari?).

Even if I agree with his plan and intent, I am uncomfortable with his reasons, which are not necessarily his own, but divined.  I guess I like decisions to be made on my behalf based on the merit of the decision, and not based on what his antennae picked up from the spiritual universe. 

Before the Christians among us lambast me, please understand I am not a hard-line atheist.  I understand that a person doesn&apos;t separate himself from his spirituality, and that anyone&apos;s decisions will be reflective of his or her spiritual or religious beliefs.  It just makes me uncomfortable, that&apos;s all.  It&apos;s too similar to, say, Islamic clerics who rule based on religion and not reason.
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33426</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33426</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:32:17 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Masked Menaceİ on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Something tells me the camera was just fine too. There&apos;s just nothing more intimidating than a guard that&apos;s out of focus in real life.

Baiting the Were-Kitten and the Lioness into going on the offensive could be fun... especially both at once :İ)

Like John, however, you&apos;ll have to ask the LG first.
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33424</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33424</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:28:47 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                <![CDATA[Not to mention the <b><a href="http://www.fototime.com/6237FF0FA97CB2B/orig.jpg" rel="nofollow">Interior Guard</a></b>!]]>
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33418</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33418</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:08:04 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Barb on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Hmmm ... Watch out on threatening kitties around the Castle.  The Were-Kitten and the Lioness may take offense ... just sayin&apos;!
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33417</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33417</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:01:47 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Masked Menaceİ on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                If you like the cover read the back.

The little kittie on my shoulder better keep a close eye on me if she knows whats good for her.



MUH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! ]:-)
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33416</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33416</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 11:58:32 -0600</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>Comment from cw4(ret)billt on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Wheee! Welcome back, Cassie! 

*flicking bit of nonexistent dust from trivet* 
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33415</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33415</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 11:58:25 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Barb on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Love the annotations on the first comment ;-)

Cass, it is great to &apos;hear&apos; your wonderful voice.  I do hope that this will occur periodically, as I was going through DTs as well.  Loved the Monty Python ref ... Heh!

MM - nice image.  I, too, am a mean person who tortures fish - love that cover!

John ... I&apos;m not sure I&apos;m ready for the &apos;Ritamatic yet, but I&apos;ll help serve those in need ... *grin*
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33414</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33414</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 11:44:41 -0600</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Neffi, Barb, fire up the &apos;Ritamatic and hit the little switch marked &quot;V&quot; over on the side.  Turn the dial marked &quot;D&quot; to low, and start handing out &apos;Ritas...







v=valium  d=dose
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33413</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33413</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 11:33:30 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Masked Menaceİ on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                And for those of us who actually do have schizophrenic family members, incredibly ignorant.

            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33412</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33412</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 11:30:38 -0600</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                And Cassie meets the Echo of the Great Hall of Argghhh!

MMİ - I like the look on your face!  Well done, boyo!

Oh, and I think she has comments turned off anyway, MMİ.
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33411</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33411</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 11:29:31 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Masked Menaceİ on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                <![CDATA[<i>and to think I pay for this bull-hockey with taxes from every paycheck I earn.</i>

Oh, yes! and a crucifix in a jar of urine and grants for studies on "Male Homosexual Erotic Response to Lesbian Porn" are such great uses of taxpayer money.

<i>man, you guys love 2 kill, don't ya?</i>
Who in their right mind doesn't? I was even the model for <b><a href="http://www.fishinghurts.com/pdfs/DaddyKillsAnimals.pdf" rel="nofollow">this cover</a></b>.

And Cassie, good to hear about your nephew.  (Tried to comment back at VC but I forgot my typekey thingy)

]]>
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33410</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33410</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 11:24:38 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Cassandra on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Jack, I am no authority on religious matters.

I&apos;m a bit of a backslider. But I do know this: even though I don&apos;t go to church and feel profoundly uncomfortable talking about this stuff, there have been times in my life, when I shut the hell up long enough, when I have been quiet enough to feel the presence of God.

And there have also been times when I have been deeply troubled and have wondered what to do about something, and so I have tried to quiet my mind. And only once or twice in my life, I have found in that quiet space that the answer has come to me, almost as if it was spoken. 

Now was that God, or just something inside me that knew all along? I will never know. And neither will anyone else. But I would never call a believing man or woman crazy for thinking it was the voice of God. Seems rather... dare I say it? intolerant?

  
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33408</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33408</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 11:24:20 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Jack, you seeming-atheist you!


            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33406</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33406</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 11:08:57 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                *Checks watch*  Hmmmm.  That took 1 day longer than I guessed.

And amazing, Cassie, your anti-fan club must have the &apos;bots out for you, to have snuck in so fast.


            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33404</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33404</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:58:56 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Jack on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                <![CDATA[Just remember, when you talk to God, it is called "prayer," and when God talks back, it is called "<a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=schizophrenia" rel="nofollow">schizophrenia</a>."
]]>
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33403</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33403</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:57:07 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Fuzzybear Lioness on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                <![CDATA[<i>I'm just relieving the pressure before my brain explodes</i>

I was wondering how you were coping with that... LOL!]]>
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33402</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33402</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:56:43 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Heh.  Useless commenters like that don&apos;t last, Fuzzy.

That one certainly won&apos;t.  We don&apos;t mind argumentation, or even clever snarks.

That one was just drivel.  Away with them!  Besides, anyone not brave enough to leave legitimate contact info is not a voice that will be left up.

Mind you - there are people, who don&apos;t leave contact info *you* guys can see, such as Sanger, who *do* have that info established with me.
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33401</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33401</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:56:07 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Cassandra on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                Thanks Fbl. This may be a rare occurrence, but I&apos;m just relieving the pressure before my brain explodes and John was kind enough to provide the means. I was getting the blogging DTs. Thanks for putting up with my ranting. Going cold turkey is hell.
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33399</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33399</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:54:02 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from Fuzzybear Lioness on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                *looking up in bemusement at the strange creature who obviously hasn&apos;t even read the post*

Cassandra, what an unexpected joy to drop by the Castle and see you!  Your wit and articulate writing are always like a breath of fresh air in the blogosphere.  *big smile*
            </description>
            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33398</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33398</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:51:49 -0600</pubDate>
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            <title>Comment from moron on 2005-10-20</title>
            <description>
                <![CDATA[your site is living proof that an all-volunteer army was a big mistake.  <i>(Really?  Wouldn't you might possibly be IN it if it wasnt?  Just sayin'.  And why do I think that you didn't delve too deeply, just read Cassie's post and extracted that assumption about all 4 of us...)</i>

and to think I pay for this bull-hockey with taxes from every paycheck I earn.   <i>(And I probably subsidized what passes for your higher education, too.  But the best part is... from now on, 'til the day I die, yer hard-earned taxes are gonna pay me many 10's of K a year for just breathin'. *And* Bill.  *And* Dusty (who's gettin more'n we are) *And* Cassie, too, assuming the Big Unit elects SBP...  Just sayin'.)</i>

water reaches its own level every time.  <i>(Deep, philosophical non-sequitur) </i>

man, you guys love 2 kill, don't ya?  <i>(Nope.  Been there, done that, found it rather distasteful and messy.  Just happen to think there are worse things.)</i>

don't get mad, get even!  <i> (Snerk! If that was true, your computer would have just blown up.)</i>

and most importantly, don't think! <i>(Which shows this is probably the first time you've ever been here, bubba.  If this is the best you have to offer, please only return in lurker mode, thanks.)</i>


]]>
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            <link>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33397</link>
            <guid>http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/10/burying_the_lede_on_iraqi_constitution.html#comment-33397</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:48:36 -0600</pubDate>
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