>Who exactly are Saddam's friends? No, our allies do not fear us. We have no desire to take over another country. We will go to Iraq, remove Saddam, help them set up their government, then we will get out.

Chris;

We know a lot about setting up governments. Take Vietnam as an example. We believe in democracy – when it suits us to do so. The U.N. wanted to have free elections in 1954 to determine the future politics of Vietnam. President Eisenhower rejected this idea and no election was held because it was realized that Ho Chi Min would be elected.

The leaders of our country could not tolerate the concept that a communist would rule Vietnam! Ho Chi Min was loved by many people of Vietnam for his actions to fight the Japanese during WWII and the French after that. Then the United States took over and look at the result? Millions died and the country is communist.

The Domino Theory was our reaction to communism taking over other nations. Even Russia is no longer a communist country. Countries will do as they please and that has been true throughout history. To attack a country and form it into our concept of what it should be is ludicrous.

The United States and Russia divided Vietnam and Korea into North and South for Russia’s participation in defeating the Japanese Army in China. When countries define the destiny of another people or nation without concern for the people involved there will be problems. The Franco Prussian war as an example was settled by WWI, which was settled by WWII, etc.

I seriously doubt that we will be able to establish a government in Iraq, or Afghanistan, that will have any lasting quality that resembles a democratic society. If a good and honorable man holds the top office of his country and helps his nation there will be some ingrate that will take him out with a shell costing 25 cents. Put a puppet in office and you will reap the benefits.

In the end I realize there will be war and how anyone feels about all this is of no value.

Tom