When nations grow up, they grow apart

You build a nation, hold its hand as it forms a government, blow up its militants... well, a lot of the militants... some of the militants get to run the government or control large swathes of the nation outside of the government's sphere of influence... that sphere being the capital city and also the outskirts of the capital city and, uh... but, look, you blow up a whole bunch of militants for this nation, spend all this time and money and love and blood and sweat and tears on it--and what thanks do you get?

So the nation has growing pains, like it's going to execute someone for converting to Christianity, which doesn't make much sense however you look at it, and you find out, and, of course, you make a call, you ask what the problem is, you try to give advice, but you don't tell it what to do, because that's not your place any more, but you know you were trying to raise a democracy, which is maybe compatible with, say, executing children or black people, sure, but this is really beyond the pale.

So what happens? Does the nation say "Yes, you're right, good advice, thank you so much, I'm so glad I have you to turn to for help with this sort of thing"? No, no, there's humming and hawing and "Look, I'm busy, there are harlots to stone, we'll talk later, K?"

But then, finally, thanks be, there's apparently some sort of a decision, and what does the young nation do? Sure, maybe friends get to hear assurances (for whatever that's worth) that there will be no execution, and nobody would deny that it's great for a new nation to make friends and all, I mean, when you build a nation you want it to get out and about a little, but, really, it pains a nation-builder to hear about stuff like this second-hand.

(Well, maybe the phone call was during Dubya's nap time. Harper could have conference-called it, but, come on, nap time is nap time.)