Fionn asks: Janice, it sounds like your so-called "middle ground" would involve hostilities of some sort against Iraq. How do you arrive at this view? Just national pride?

To which I answer: My middle ground would be strict enforcement of the UN Security Council resolutions which Iraq accept as a condition for ending the 1991 Gulf War.

As for national pride, it should not be the reason for going to war. But I am nonetheless proud of my nation (the USA), not because it is a perfect nation or even the best nation, but because it allows itself to become a better nation. And I say so even though I am aware of the wrong it has done.

Anyway, I come from a family of fighters. We love getting our licks in -- always have, always will -- but first we want to make sure we're in the right fight. And at present, the right fight is to preserve and strength our own democratic principles and institutions. I want to fight, for example, so the time will soon come when Americans will look back in shame that we imprisoned people, including our own citizens, without charges and without due process of law.

We also like a good barroom brawl. I've kicked a little ass in my day, only to have had the pleasure of caressing that same sweet ass by night!