FTroop, You misquoted me. I said If IRAN were to adopt a live and let live attitude. Nickhere, the US made threats against Iran??? I remember training Iranian airmen at the base where I was stationed. Our good relations with the Iranian GOVERNMENT went away with the Islamic revolution and the advent of the Ayatolla Khomeini. And the blatant act of war against the US Embassy may have had something to do with a change in the flavor of our official rhetoric (after the inept and cowardly "Jimmy Carter" failed to do anything about it). I believe many people in Iran and those who escaped the "revolution" still think very favorably of America. I've known several wonderful Iranians and they have no use for the Islamic revolution. As to your side note about Vensuelean justice, talk about an oxymoron!!! I don't off-hand recall the details of Posada's case so I can't really comment on the particulars of that situation but generally speaking Hugo Chavez is not someone I would turn to for justice.

Gee Peace! I was feelin' all warm and fuzzy! I thought YOU had written that little ballad. But that's OK. I just was wondering what point you were trying to make by inserting it into this thread, brother!. Peace be with you.

Good factually accurate re-cap, Teribus, on the history of the Palestinians, the infatada, Arafat and the shared goals of A. Hitler.

The bedrock values I hold to are those that permit dialog, peaceful resolution of differences and conflicts, justice, respect and diginity to those who show respect and dignity, a democratic voice, the rights of the individual. I don't, however, believe that those very bedrock values are up for discussion as this is our foundation and without it, it ALL falls down. You can't sacrifice democracy to gain democracy. You can't eneter slavery to gain freedom. You can't have a nation without borders and you can't declare "peace" when someone is trying to blow you up or wipe you from the face of the map.