le Carré Quote
I just started reading John le Carré's Absolute Friends, a book which is apparently going to be his commentary on the situation in the Middle East. He offers the first oblique remark about recent events not seven pages in.
"The block is what these days is called an ethnic village: Kurds, Yemenis and Turks live packed together in it. Other children are already assembled here, some with mothers or fathers. It would be reasonable for Mundy to consign Mustafa to their care, but he prefers to ride with him to the school and shake his hand at the gates, sometimes formally kissing him on both cheeks. In the twilight time before Mundy appeared in his life, Mustafa suffered humiliation and fear. He needs rebuilding."
I read this in wake of G.W.'s declaration over the weekend that he is a "war president." When did we become so proud of being destroyers?