Protests, Lies and Realpolitik

It is not easy to understand just how uneasy many Americans are about the Bush's dubious venture. There has been widespread reaction across the country in major cities and towns and university campuses. Many have rallied around the flag resignedly, though the spirit is anything but jingoistic. While echoes of an earlier epoch suffuse the new actions, the perennial debate on whether civil disobedience does more harm than good has been reopened.