The tangled web of freedom

There is no doubt that we live in a variety of different worlds at the same time, which is why we sometimes feel disoriented.
The world according to Bush is a curious place. (see here)I do not quite understand how the president of the land of the free can say to his people that torture is OK. I do not understand how a born again Christian can say that torture is OK. I do not understand how a loving father can say torture is OK.
However we might see and rationalise all this Bush's recent announcements are shocking to those of us who think that there is some merit in trying to say we want a world without violence.
When the voice of the West is so outspoken against Islam, chiefly because it does not espouse the same humble and peaceful values of Christianity I am at a loss to understand how we can look ourselves straight in the eye let alone everyone else.
It is easy to adopt the Mike Moore attitude and mock Bush, which is a piercing strategy. But my suspicion is that we must do better than this. As Bush's time runs out (the possibility of the congress changing hands and falling out of his control in November is a real one...even likely) will he become even more desperate and attempt to push through what he can before he loses the ability to do so.
Perhaps it has ever been so, but I think we live in troubling times.