OUR VIEW: Don’t follow Cook

The Herald Journal ran an Associated Press story on Tuesday about a senior British official who resigned as part of a revolt against the Labor Party.

Robin Cook, who was foreign secretary in Tony Blair’s first government, said, “I can’t accept collective responsibility for the decision to commit Britain now to military action in Iraq without international agreement or domestic support.”

That’s all well and good, Mr. Cook. But that doesn’t stop him from being British. Does his resignation say anything more than the simple fact that he didn’t like how things were going?

Don’t his constituents know his stance on the Iraq issue already?

Where is the grim determination to bear out hard times? Sure, people may not like a leader’s plans for foreign relations (or lack thereof) but do people just need to give up completely?

No. That is the kind of attitude that shows weakness. People should continue to communicate to leaders their sentiments. When the going gets rough don’t just throw in the towel. Keep the lines of communication open. Going to war may not be the best answer, but quitting is probably one of the worst.