[Mr 5 0]

Rick:

Yeah, we disagree, to put it politely.

Your contention that the United States government is a 'machine' and that 'anyone' can 'run it' is just not credible. Jimmy Carter 'ran it' into the ground. Reagan brought it back up again, militarily and economically. Clinton ran it back down again and made the Oval Office a bordello in the process, demeaning his office. The President matters and to find someone that believes he doesn't is just, well, incredible to behold. How do you get to that kind of thinking?

'Anyone' could have gotten the U.N. to act against Iraq? Really? Do you really believe that? The U.N. sat around for eleven long years and issued toothless resolution after resolution condemning Iraq for weapons violations (against the treaty he signed in 1991 after losing the Gulf war) and they did nothing. Neither did Clinton, for that matter. Finally, President Bush stood up in the United Nations and challenged them to act on their words, and they did, finally, supporting military action against Iraq for weapons violations. To attempt to diminish President Bush as if he did what 'anyone' could do is simply not valid. If 'anyone' could have done it, why didn't they? It's leadership, plain and simple, Rick. Something Clinton knew nothing about.

The only reason the U.S. is going the U.N.-approval route is because the Democrats insisted on it before they would give the approval for the money Bush needs to mount this kind of military engagement. Bush did what he had to do, and I think it was unnecessary too, from a military standpoint but it was politically necessary and Bush is a good politician.

To clarify: The U.S. military is smaller (diminished in manpower) than it was in 1991, at the time of the Gulf War but much more technically advanced, granted.

We are not 'imposing our beliefs' on anyone, that's simply a carnard some folks fall back on when they misunderstand what's happening in geopolitics. Iraq will not be a democracy, neither will Afghanistan. They simply will cease to be a threat to U.S. interests in the region. Israel cannot initate a nuclear war and won't. Nuking them may sound like a simple solution but it's really just frustration talking. Radioactive particles travel and nuking anyone is not a realistic option for any sane leadership, which precludes Iraq and North Korea, our next big problem.

Finally, you can forget the Rush Limbaugh comparisions. I was a conservative Republican long before Limbaugh ever came to popularity. Limbaugh simply echos what many, many people think about political issues. The mistaken idea that somehow he magically brainwashes millions is just liberal media nonsense on stilts. I like Rush but I sometimes disagree with him and certainly don't need a radio talker to give me my opinions. I am quite capable of forming political opinions on my own, thanks, just like you. Unfortunately, ours seem to differ but hey, that's America.