Rich,

>>Perhaps you would consider the work done by Peace Corps volunteers as an equivalent, non-religiously based, effort?

Don't forget it is only open to US citizens, presumably because it was started when a Catholic President challenged middle-class US students to serve their country by looking outside their own back yard and helping others in need. A cynic might observe that this demonstrates that at least some overtly nationalistic, political motives can generate a positive result ;-)

>>not all Marxists were power-hungry communists seeking imperial expansion. Many (at least originally) were idealists who sincerely believed that they were advancing the cause of all mankind.

One of the lessons we have hopefully learned from the 20th century, is that any ideology that starts with the belief that "people are basically good" is doomed to fail. It generate lots of euphoric hope for the participants at first... until reality rears its ugly head.

>>Then why are we forcing our political beliefs onto Iraq?

Are you? I thought you were making sure Saddam could never use all those WMD against you ;-)

>>Exactly my point. They have the right to try to convince the majority of the correctness of their views and pass laws supporting them if they can be that convincing. As does the "Liberal Left" and as do you and I.

I'm afraid I have to agree with that. So much for argument ;-)