Albright book doesn't offer easy answers

In the introduction to her new book, "The Mighty &The Almighty," former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright begins by saying she was wrong. She thought the fact that we were living in modern times meant religion had no place in diplomacy. For example: "When fighting broke out in the Balkans, we urged each side to focus on the rights of the individual, not the competing prerogatives of religious groups," she writes.

"I found it incredible, as the 21st century approached, that Catholics and Protestants were still quarreling in Northern Ireland and Hindus and Muslims were still squaring off against each other in south Asia; surely, I thought, these rivalries were the echoes of earlier, less enlightened times, not a sign of battles still to come.

"Since the terror attacks of 9/11, I have come to realize that it may have been I who was stuck in an earlier time. . . . I have had to adjust the lens through which I view the world, comprehending something that seemed to be a new reality but that had actually been evident for some time. . . . Almost everywhere, religious movements are thriving."

So where does America go from here? Albright claims no easy answers, especially to problems in the Middle East. She does ask everyone, from politicians to religious leaders to newspaper publishers, to try to refrain from inflaming the situation. She does suggest the State Department start hiring religious experts.

Reading her book you may learn something new about U.S. history. (Did you already know that Thomas Jefferson wrote his own version of the Gospels, omitting the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection and other miracles? And that his political opponents called him Godless?) Even more interesting are Albright's own views.

She believes we live in an exceptional country. "Does this mean that I am among those who believe the United States has a mission to spread liberty across the globe? No. I am uncomfortable with such an idea, as if our country's purpose has been defined by some outside force — God, providence, nature or history."

She adds, "We have a responsibility to lead but as we fulfill that responsibility we should bear in mind the distinction pointed out by John Adams. Liberty, at least in the sense of free will, is God's gift, not ours; it is also morally neutral. It may be used for any purpose, whether good or ill."