Passover and international relations

Dan Drezner of Tufts and Foreign Policy magazine has a fascinating post suggesting lessons in international relations that can be gleaned from the Passover story. In brief: minority rights are always fragile in an autocratic regime, sanctions hardly ever work, God isn't much of a bargainer, and the U.S. sugar program is bad news for Jews.

I take a somewhat different lesson, some of which will be included in the Register's Easter editorial. It seems to me that God (Yahweh) holds autocratic, oppressive regimes -- and maybe all instances of men ruling over other men (and women) in deep repugnance, and wants His people out from under human repression. Given that most people who count themselves religious can't wait to nuzzle up the the State and other Powers and Principalities of this world, it strikes me that God hasn't gotten through to them very effectively yet. Guess it's a long process.