The NEw York Times today carries an article on Arab sentiment toward the U.S..

THere is a lot of understandable anger, frustration, and confusion described. But the worst part of the whole thing is the quote in which a frustrated Arab says that "all the talk about supporting democracy in Arab countries is baloney".

Mother of all Gods, if we are not in the international arena to promulgate the democratic vision, why the hell are we over there? I know, I know -- oil and "strategic interests". But it's a piss-poor state of affairs when the really important thing about this country -- the vision that founded it -- gets submerged by a bunch of businessmen. Very grim.

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