Yesterday I attempted to compare Robert Shuman's continued support for European unity to my bright idea to attach my Husky to my Australian terrier so that they could not run away. It has been working pretty well. Shuman's theory was that if he could tie other countries together economically, they would find it much more difficult to fight militarily. What I used as a comparison is that when countries (and dogs) are left to operate on their own, they run amok. Tied together, I argued, they are more likely to stay in bounds. This morning, my analogy exploded when I went out to get my dogs, and they were no where in sight. My assumption was that they were probably near by. Bad assuption. After driving around the neighborhood, I returned to the ravine behind our house to call for them. I could hear Thumper (the Terrier) barking. I could not climb down the bank without risking re-injuring my ankle... and I was wearing a bathrobe, so I risked my daughter's life instead. She clambered down the ravine and found them tied together to a tree. Suffice it to say, I will not try out this tie them together theory again.
The question is, does that mean that Shuman is wrong and that countries should not tie their fates together? Does the fact that my metaphor exploded all over me this morning have any import on world politics?
This morning, South Korea responded to a North Korean bombing by sending fighters to return fire. Are we just tying ourselves to a Husky who will drag us into the ravine here?
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