War.

War is never good.

I think very few people can deny that.

It destroys life,

snatching it swiftly away regardless of age, creed or class.

But what happens if we do not fight for justice?

What happens if we turn a blind eye to massacres, to genocide, to murder?

And how do we know when it is the right time to stand and fight?

I don't have the answer to any of the above questions.

I wish I did.

But I do think it is a bit overly-simple

to be against all wars,

a stance taken by many public figures in the 21st century.

Faramir is one of my all-time favorite characters in the LOTR trilogy

and this stance on war 

is exactly why: 

War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all;

But I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness,

nor the arrow for its swiftness,

nor the warrior for his glory,

I love only that which they defend.

Source: Donato Art

I think about this quote a lot these days
As I've been working with quite a few war veterans (WWII, Vietnam and Korea)
As we commemorate the victims of 9/11/01 today, 

as my church and my priests pray for Syria,

for its people,

Christian, Muslim and in between,

for their safety and protection from the harm and violence that rocks their country.

I guess this is the nature of living in a fallen world.
I really very strongly dislike Obama
{and pretty much any politician}
But I feel for him very keenly these days,
when he's been called to make an extremely tough decision
without the foresight to know whether it is right or not.

I think Bishop Basil of the Antiochian Archdiocese has the best perspective on this
{at least from the Christian slant.}
He spoke just a few days ago on the subject at a church in Kansas

In the mean time,
all we can do is pray.
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