Nicole - I suspect that you are quite right, and that Bush & Co. do indeed think they are doing "the right thing". That's the usual story out there. The same is true of the most zealous Zionists and Islamic warriors, who are busily trying to exterminate each other.

Very, very few people are consciously evil, in their own judgment of themselves...and even the ones who ARE feel personally justified, along some line of rationale that makes sense to them, and perhaps to them only. This doesn't mean that they cannot later change their minds, and become aware of having done wrong and repent of it. Some do. Some don't.

This is why saints and enlightened people are known to have compassion for those whom they may disagree with vehemently...even when done to death by those people. They have gone beyond mere surface reaction to events to recognizing the inner state of mind of the other, which usually "knows not what it does" from the larger point of view.

- LH