February 10, 2003
The problem with John Kass' well-written allegorical piece is that President Bush hasn't simply called Saddam Hussein a rat; he has called him a rat with big guns. If he had just left it that Hussein is a rat, the neighbors would all sign on since everyone knows Saddam is a rat. But Bush wanted to emphasize the danger, so he added the part about the guns, and the neighbors became skeptical. "Show us the guns," they begged, then shouted; but no guns could be found. Then the neighbors--and some of the...