Advice to George W. Bush

What advice could Britain's new Prime Minister offer his American counterpart?

Presumably, Gordon Brown is not going to suggest that failed leaders should resign. Failing this, Brown could present President Bush with a signed copy of his recent book, Courage, glued permanently open at page 113, where Martin Luther King states the catechism that should guide any politician: “[C]owardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’ And vanity comes along and asks the question, ‘Is it popular?’ But conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’”

Brown could suggest that Bush’s cowardice – sending other people’s children to bomb civilians from 50,000 feet – has failed to produce the promised democratic crescent from Iraq to Afghanistan. Brown can explain from personal experience how, while it may be expedient, failing to admit mistakes merely leaves the mess to a successor. He might point out to Bush that ceding principle to populism can backfire into the lowest poll ratings since Richard Nixon.

Brown could then remind Bush that much the most powerful anti-terror weapon in our armory is the consistent application of human rights. Without the millions who hate us for our hypocrisy, and with the worldwide respect that comes from behaving with decency, we are ultimately far safer than we could ever be with the illusory protection of torture evidence, Abu Ghraib, or Guantánamo Bay.

Of course, Bush might want to respond with some advice of his own, although I hope he would resist the temptation to sneer: The U.S. mainland has avoided a terrorist attack since September 11th even though the U.S. Constitution allows a criminal suspect to be detained without charges for no more than 48 hours. Brown’s new demand for 56 days might seem excessive.

This article also appeared in the Guardian newspaper.