And I have read it too, Carol C, and we have already been through that on another thread. The fact that the article you are touting is reprinted in a clearly biased publication takes away (in my mind at least)it's credibility to serve as an unbiased piece.

Roger: you wondered if Doug R migh post in a postitive manner to this thread. The problem, I fear, is that your interpretation of "positive" will be whatever agrees with your point of view! And that's not likely.

But, you want my opinion, here it is. The only way peace will come between Israel and Palestine is for one or the other to fight it out, and the winner will dictate the terms of peace. Anyone who reads into that statement that I am pro one country over the other when I make it, is simply not reading the statement, or does not understand English.

If I had to take sides, as I have stated on another thread, I would side with Israel. But ...I do favor creation of a Palestine state.

Do I want there to be peace? Yes! Absolutely! No doubt about it! Many efforts have been made, including those of President Carter, President Reagan, President Clinton, and now, President Bush to help resolve this conflict at the peace table. That has not worked. I don't think that it will work. Why hasn't it worked? I lay the blame at the feet of one Arafat for reasons stated in other threads. I think had Arafat followed through with what he had agreed to in previous peace talks, many, many lives would have been saved.

I agree with a lot that Bobert posted, except that a two or three mile buffer zone might not be practical. Two or three miles is a lot of territory in that area. Perhaps it could be a mile, but that's nitpicking.

Roger, your earlier statement: "the action on 9/11 wasn't amenable to military action is, in my opinion, pure horse pucky. The U. S. was attacked by a known terrorist group. That group took great pleasure in the death and destruction that the attack caused. The U. S. had every right to retaliate in my opinion. And if you are under the impression that the poor people in Afghanstan were better off before the U. S. interevened, then I simply don't know what to say to you. We are way too far apart in our views.

I realize that my views would win me no popularity contests on the Mudcat. But I love the Mudcat, just as most of you do, and I'm not running for most popular guy anyway.

DougR