Norman Mailer’s New York Review of Books piece Only in America is a worthy read for those pondering the motivation of those who would lead us into war. As with many NYRB pieces, you may not agree with a bit of it, but it’s still worth reading and thinking about. It attempts to answer the questions that haunt me at quiet moments. Just as I can’t imagine what would lead a man to become a dictator like Saddam Hussein, I can’t imagine the inner dialogue that tells George W Bush that war is the only way to get to where we need to be. Is he motivated by the firm conviction that this is a battle between good and evil and that no compromise can be reached? Does he really fear that Iraq will arm terrorists? I honestly have no idea. I think if I could put myself in his shoes, things would be much easier for me to deal with, but I can’t.