"It is clear that imaginary obsessions can become contagious and infect the plurality in a form of mass delusion. Thus, be careful what you imagine, because it may come back to bite you."

Sounds like a pretty good summation of American foreign (and domestic) policy of the last 100 years or so, Amos! Ook! Ook!

The thing about imaginary obsessions is, they satisfy some emotional need in people, see? And it goes from there. Consider the Vietnam War, for instance, as a prime example of yer statement bein' proved in action. The same basic stuff is goin' on now...same old obessions, a combination of messianic grandiosity and delusions of moral superiority over the rest of the world, combined with extreme paranoia and a desire to secure unchallenged military supremacy...but new "enemies" have been found...and it keeps comin' back to bite us.

- Chongo