Pete, a few comments.



Today, after the fall of the Soviet union, the US is _the_ superpower of the world. You are a known quantity and are reasonably predictable. I much prefer status quo than having China, India or others rise to be superpowers while you falter (or even fall). If you dont stop spending your money on adventures abroad, you will fall, your economy is not that strong. Go to a hardware store (or any store) and check where things are buildt, and look at your trade balance. I would be very concerned about China and India. Not military wise (yet), but economicaly.
Being mad at the chineese dont help much, they dont have freedom of speech. You do, for the time being (that is ment as a compliment).



I was not really thinking about your military actions in Iraq when I wrote that. I was thinking more on keeping prisoners without allowing them their rights or putting them on trial. Or worse, torturing them or sending them to torture under other regimes that endorse torture. But yes, your actions in Iraq has not exactly been benign. Use of WP, bad intelligence leading to smart-bombing of civilians, troops getting really jumpy and firing too soon. Lots of mistakes done due to not being prepared for what to do after the fall of Saddam. I guess the Pentagon strategist now have learnt what can happen when you invade a country with
the "swarm" strategy and dont take control over the areas you have cleaned. I dont see much you can do now in Iraq, military wise, that you have not already done? Keeping to the Geneva convension is a good thing after all.

If you think everybody hates the US, that is not true. You have lots of friends both as a nation and as a people. If I did not like you, why would I stay on this US dominated forum and even visit the US from time to time? But as friends, you must be able to hear that we dont agree or even oppose your policies. I think your current administrations foreign policy is the reason you are feeling victimized today. You had the worlds sympaties after 911, but all the scandals since.. I remember the end of the cold war with Reagan, I remember Bush Sr. and Clinton, none of them managed to break as many ties as Bush Jr's administration has.

Saddam gassed kurdi villages in the 80's. Nobody said you in the US was responsible for that. At the same time, the US supplied Saddam with weapons and supported him in the war against Iran.
Gas (or NBC) is a weapon all armed forces hope to not meet on the battlefield, but train rigorously for. I dont think gas is outlawed (but WP is).

The M-48 was in service here in Norway til 92, now replaced by Leopard I and II's. Do you still remember how to recognize the T-51's and T-72's?

Timbo: The danger of "them" outbreeding is under public debate here. With a population of 4.5mill, it doesn't really take that much. Fortunately, many of "them" integrate and start thinking as norwegians. It's the ones who can not leave the old behind, build fanatic sects etc. we must do something about. Just look at the british bombings done by 2nd generation immigrants.
God forbid _anybody_ start flinging nukes about, even the israelis!

Opher: Good to hear a voice of sanity from Israel. The news coverage we get up here is quite pro-palestinian, but I think you are dead-right on all your points.