I posted this in a different thread: (sorry this post is so damned long)

here's my take on the middle east, including Israel.
They have been killing each other off for several thousand years. It is my opinion that rather than wasting our money and time trying to convert them to our way of doing things, we should simply distance ourselves from them in any way shape or form. We remove any and everything that we have placed in those countries, oil rigs, pipelines, bases, money, etc. including Saudi Arabia and any other so called allies from that region and issue a single declaration.
Do as you will with each other, kill each other off if you so desire but be advised that there are several nuclear subs that are now on permanent duty in the mediterranean or thereabouts, all carrying a nice load of ICMB's. Again, do as you will with each other or work it out, but step outside your own borders with any form of agression directed towards us or our allies and your country will be reduced to a sheet of glass. In other words, mind your own biz, kill each other off for all we care, but fuck up and you die. I suspect that worst case, we will only have to launch one missile. Time and time again many of our so called allies, the Taliban, the Saudi's, Iran, Iraq, etc, have all turned on us because, when you play with snakes, you will eventually get bitten. We need to stop fucking with other cultures and stop trying to "march freedom" by force. Then maybe, just maybe we can focus on getting our own shit together.

As far as I can tell, the middle east is as about as fucked up as it gets. We should let them fend for themselves as stated above. Personally, I don't give a rats ass about them or their screwy problems. We don't need their oil that badly and if we don't concentrate our energy related efforts on finding alternatives to fossil fuels (nuclear, solar, cold fusion, etc) we will eventually go down. As for bashing he US, some of that bashing is more than well deserved. I have watched with great disappointment the gradual decline of our government (not our nation) since the time I was old enough to vote. It seems that each successive administration is becoming progressively more and more corrupt and I firmly believe it is in great part due to the fact that the same bunch of asshole get re-elected year after year. Helms, Kennedy, etc etc are all out of control and have no accountability for their actions. During Clintons tenure, most of the accusations thrown at the feds were summarily ignored by his admin. This admin declares every one who disagrees with them terrorist sympathizers. The entire system has become so corrupted by the grab for money and power that I don't know if it will ever be right again. It may sound corny, but I fear for the nation that was created by our founders. It would seem that is no longer exists and is rapidly going down the same road as all other empires, the road that leads to the death of that nation. (everything that lives dies sooner or later, nations are no exception)
Not because of gay marriage, or the gradual chipping away of our rights, or the loss of credibility, or the brutalities of war but because of greed and corruption at the highest and lowers levels of power. Even at the city council and county board levels out so called representatives hold the electorate in such contempt that they don't believe we should be allowed to vote on a tax increase to build the damned stadiums. We just don't know what's good for us. Same thing goes with the smoking bans...we're too stupid to take care of ourselves. Once again, I encourage everyone to vote and make sure you vote for anybody who is not already in office and is not a democan or a republicrat. (except for that goofy guy who think he's a vampire and is running for gov)
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