If you haven’t yet seen the February issue of Mother Jones magazine, I suggest you pick one up at your first opportunity, for it may well be worth big money some day as a revealing look at America on its bloody rush to war in this land of the free and home of the brave, held hostage by fear.

The cover’s illustration by Tim O’Brien of Todd Gitlin’s article, “America’s Age of Empire,” depicts President Bush astride a horse, running at breakneck speed toward a steep cliff. Only the horse’s left hoof hugs the last remaining inches of firm earth, and it’s obvious that’s not going to last long.

Meanwhile, Bush, waving his pistol, with an extra gun and rifle at his side for insurance, eyes straight ahead, face taut with frenzied righteousness, mouth open, doubtlessly shouting a rallying call to the troops, heads for the precipice. While his followers are not in O’Brien’s picture, one is left with the impression that the moment of truth has arrived: This Cowboy, like the Emperor, has no clothes as he falls into the canyon below.

O’Brien’s illustration immediately reminded me of that great painter of the West, Charles Russell, and of his work “Wagon Boss.” In contrast to Bush’s arrogant leadership without responsibility, Russell’s cowboy sits quietly upon his horse, gazing ahead at the wagon train. They’ve been here many a time, horse and master, stopping to assess a situation, seeing that all is well, measuring the present with tomorrow’s journey – the rise of the mountains, the depth of the flowing rivers, nothing left to chance.

The cowboy holds the reins with one hand, while the other rests behind him – no blazing gun, yet ready for any emergency, with no wasteful blustering about. The Wagon Boss is in charge. His strength lies in his word that he will bring his people to their particular promised land. He will not fritter away his energy, nor jeopardize the peace and success of the train’s journey with skirmishes to feed his vanity

As no other painter has done, Russell captured that contemplative moment, along with thousands of others, because for years he had lived the life of the cowboy, mainly in Montana. He knew that a Wagon Boss would have spent weeks planning for the expedition, consulting with experts, studying maps, purchasing supplies, getting to know his people, making them responsible for their own wagons and animals. Lives depended upon knowledge and judgment and earned trust. They still do.

In his article, it is obvious that Todd Gitlin doesn’t think much of Bush’s ability or need to take this nation on a wagon train’s drive to war. He states that Bush began leading us down this path on September 20, when his administration published a national security manifesto overturning the established order, “making a long-building imperial ten-dency explicit and permanent.” He calls it the Bush doctrine, “a romantic justification for easy recourse to war whenever and wherever an American president chooses.”

Gitlin goes on to say that: “The Bush White House chose this moment to put down in black and white its grand strategy– to doctrinize, as it were, its impulse to act alone with the instruments of war. Hitching a ride on Al Qaeda’s indisputable threat, the doctrine generalizes. It is limitless in time and space.”

Gitlin asserts that the administration is saying in effect: “In keeping with our heritage and principles, we do not use our strength to press for unilateral advantage.” No?

The writer warns us: “The doctrine affirms all of the comforts and recognizes none of the dangers of empire. It ignores the costs of unbounded deployment and war. It acknowledge no danger that reckless swashbuckling helps recruit terrorists. It forgets that all empires fall – they cost too much, they incite too many enemies, they inspire contrary empires. The new imperialists think they are different. All empires do.”

For my money, Gitlin is Russell’s modern day Wagon Boss, concerned about his people, warning against the precipice ahead.

Bush belongs to the brush of Tim O’Brien, who paints the president with sure strokes. But let us remember that Bush wouldn’t be riding that horse if it were not for the war-mongering in his powerful circle, along with the majority of the media and the empty talking heads who think that war and games are synonymous terms, as well as the apathy of too many travelers in our Wagon Train during this shameful Age of Empire, 2003.

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