Admiral Mullen, retired now for 10 years, yesterday thought and spoke afresh about his advice to boost US troops under President Barack Obama and attempt to build an Afghan army:
“What I thought we could do, and I advised President Obama accordingly, is I thought we could turn it around,” he said. “Obviously I was wrong.”
In the gospels, Jesus constantly calls us to the spiritual work of thinking things through in new ways. This work is what God called Jesus to do in his day, and what God calls us to do in our day. Jesus tends to call it "repentance."
Thank you, Admiral Mullen, for thinking things through in this new way, and for being courageous (and loving) enough to admit it. Your words will save lives and help to light humanity's path into the fullness of God's compassion, justice, and peace.