>Yeah, an "embargo" on the Middle East - not one more dime for anybody there - not one more drop of oil. <s>

Just ban the SUVs, the prices of oil will drop ;).

>The problem is not that peace there is illusory - it is that there are too many who do not have any vested interest in peace.

I know, just that every peacemaking leader was assassinated sooner or later (on both sides) is proof enough.

>I don't think the United States (or for that matter any outside power) is going to be able to reconcile the contradictions there. Bad behavior can be supressed ( as Tito proved ) but history and human nature cannot be renegotiated.

Perception does mean a lot - you were led to believe so by the spinmeisters. As usual, 90+% of the people just want to be left alone and live their lives in peace (prosperity is welcome but actually optional); the trouble is how to keep the lid on the remainder and keep them below 10%. That's shown historically to be the critical mass to start a war.

>Remember that a lot of US aid to Israel involves attempts to keep the more paranoid elements of their military and intelligence services from following the path that they think is necessary for national survival. Perception is a lot and the minute Israel feels they are cut off from allies, completely on their own and threatened with immanent destruction things will get very very bad very very quickly.

Perception does mean a lot, and if I was Israel I'd make sure the US has this mental image of a dozen insane generals kept in a cage which would unleash themselves the moment we get a billion less than last year.