Interesting, the differences in attitudes toward religion between countries. While George Bush can hardly say “Good morning” to his wife without adding “…and may God bless America” — and indeed, an American politician could not get elected unless he or she makes such platitudes throughout their campaign — the reaction to what Tony Blair said yesterday — that God would judge the invasion of Iraq — has drawn some very harsh criticism. Among it, the quote “We don’t want Bush or Khomeini-type fundamentalism in our politics…” from MP Evan Harris. I never thought I’d hear a president’s name slung alongside the Khomeini’s, but there it is.

And maybe it’s deserved. Violence is violence; is it really more acceptable when a state uses its military to enact violence than when a nonstate group commits terrorism? Is it acceptable when civilian casualties due to state military action, though largely unintended, far outnumber the intended civilian deaths through acts of terrorism? Is the destruction of foreign infrastructure and seizure of natural resources — and the long slow death that follows — less senseless than attacks on western symbols? Does invoking God’s name somehow make Bush or Blair holier than the martyr who cries out for Allah?