Obama in the balance

The media acclaim and mass adulation afforded President Barack Obama needs to be occasionally offset by the odd objection. Balance would be welcome.

Two policy areas stand out for criticism. First, Mr Obama apparently only opposes “dumb” or “rash” wars. So he is against the war in Iraq but intends to escalate the war in Afghanistan.

In general, he backs war “based on reason, not passion”. Yet the institution of war is itself irrational, as is the whole war system.