LH, don't fool yourself about Palin. I have met her type and worked against them in human rights campaigns. They are pragmatic up to a point and then their religion takes over. Their ultimate goal is always dictated by their religious beliefs/fervour.

A word, folks, on the pronunciation of Iran and Iraq. Out here, in the West, I know plenty of educated, LIBERAL people who pronounce them the same was as Palin. It's the way we grew up, not ignorant, just a cultural thing, like a lot of old-time New Englanders putting an "r" on the wend of such words as "law." (I was told that was from an English background.) So, as usual, generalisations are not a good idea.