Amergin - ever heard of the "Marshall Plan" ? Any idea how much the United States of America has given in aid over the years ? No recognition of the role played by the United States of America during the "Cold War" years - i.e. without their involvement it would not have been cold for long ? Ask the ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo what debt they owe the United States of America ? - Left to the "Peace at anyone else's expense" brigade (Lovely expression that courtesy of Gareth) there's barely one of them would have been left alive had Slobodan Milosevic had his way.

kendall - only problem is you NEVER mention the good. As for your rhetorical question:

"If Iraq is so much better off without Saddam, why is our Army and Marine corp getting the shit kicked out of them every day? Simple...they want him back."

Make that statement to any Iraqi living outwith the Sunni area of that country and you'd be laughed out of the country. Of course the lads round Tikrit want him back - Saddam & Co favoured them at the expense of all the others, they were after all from HIS tribe.

As for being told that he (Saddam) could do what he like with Kuwait the complete reverse is true - He was advised in no uncertain terms exactly what America, if not the world's reaction to that would be. The begger certainly did find out though - and quite rightly so.

So, Dean Acheson told the Chinese/North Koreans that. "The USA has no interest in Korea" (paraphrased) so they took it as a green light. Even paraphrased that in no way implies that it would be considered anything other than an act of unprovoked aggression if North Korea then invaded South.

More of the usual hair-shirted, self-flagellating crap.