>>And if I may add my bit. All the people of every country should strive (try very very hard) to keep religion out of their politics and politics out of all religion. It is when religion invokes religious law into politics and/or politics tries to run religion that trouble for the average citizen begins. This rule is one of the pillars of freedom and good government. In the USA the religious right wing is having, what I think is a negative effect on elections and subsequently politics and of course, in the middle east, religion in politics is out of control in many areas.
>>
>>How do you stop the war in Iraq? Stop fighting the alleged infidel invaders. Set down your weapons and live a peaceful life. After a short period of time, peace will be declared and all the non-Iraqies will go home and Iraq will be Iraq again. My goodness, that seems so simplistic.
>>
>>Carry on.
>
>
>And history refutes your hope. People who are pacifists, who refuse to fight for their freedom, soon lose it. We are not a free country because others want us to be. We are a free country, paid for by the blood of the good men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice. I don't think the government needs to tell us what the official religion is, but I think part of the problem with our country today is the fact that people have tried to remove God from government. Our country was founded on Judeo-Christian values and even athiests want all the "in God we trust" they can get their hands on. All the courts open with a prayer, as do both houses of congress. There is a big difference in the government dictating how we worship, and allowing us to freely express our beliefs.

Perhaps I have been misunderstood. I agree with you on pacifism, but it is not pacifism of which I speak, but the cessation of hostilities and the creation of a free country because of that action. I know America well enough to realize that if Iraqi insurgents discontinue their action, so will the USA. I am also speaking of religion imposing it's rule on the people of any nation, by getting its people or leaders elected who then pass laws which force obedience to that religion. I am not speaking of followers of a religion who are honorable people who get elected and do a good job as part of the government. For the record I am a sixty-two year old veteran and you may be assurred that I am very familiar with the fight for freedom. But really, we shouldn't discuss this on the UT. Politics and/or religion dicussions will probably just lead to disagreements. So, let me take this opportunity to apologize for making my remarks in the first place.