“Apology.” It can be the hardest word.
We routinely note its absence when politicians express “regret”–which shows a degree of honor, but don’t actually “apologize,” which can be perceived as weakness by partisan constituencies. It is what it is.
But it’s especially notable, if not regrettable, at the very highest levels. Recent Exhibit A’s: the unprecedented visits of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the U.S.S. Arizona memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, last week and the visit by President Barack Obama to Hiroshima last May. They both spoke of repentance and condolences. But no “A” word was uttered.
War is war. We don’t apologize for them. We just fight them–and regret them. Some things never change, although that alone should be worth an apology.