"The confused milieu of Iraq, an administration with no coherent strategy to improve the conditions in that country, has always tried to downplay that the U.S.-backed Shiite government and its associated militias are the same ones backed by its archenemy, Iran."

Surging oil prices are sinking the U.S. economy, while Big Oil is raking in obscene profits. For example, ExxonMobil recorded profits in 2007 of $40.6 billion. Its CEO’s pay averaged out to $13,700 an hour. Today, gas is selling at $3.50 a gallon with no end in sight. Truckers are paying more for their diesel fuel and as a result food prices are rising. Globally, nationalization of the oil industry is the trend. It’s time for the U.S. to join that club.

"Within little more than half a decade America adjusted psychologically, politically and militarily to the Soviet enemy and its capacity to incinerate our cities on a moment’s notice. We came to know the Soviet enemy very well and were able to adopt prudent, realistic and successful policies in the face of genuine threats of national destruction posed by Moscow’s nuclear arsenal. Rather than let our fears and anxieties of Muslim fanatics drive policy, we need the same sober approach to the real but lesser threat posed by terrorists."

"The Bush administration has vehemently and publicly denied what the empirical data point to--by blaming anti-U.S. terrorist attacks on hatred of American freedoms. Polls taken in Islamic countries counter this viewpoint. The American people, as if supporting their local sports team against a rival, would prefer to buy into this administration’s Tarzan-like foreign policy (“America good; others bad”). Instead, we should be engaging in the more difficult, soul-searching task of discovering the root causes of anti-U.S. terrorism. Americans could continue to give the benefit of the doubt to their government’s aggressive foreign policies in the Middle East, during both Democratic and Republican administrations, but that would be a delusional and dangerous choice."

"Barack Obama is a pawn of empire pretending to be a beacon of hope. He believes in Big Government, which automatically becomes Big Brother. Barack has not opposed Big Brother, the imposition of the Police State."

"...after meeting with Hamas representatives in Cairo and being familiarized with the situation in Gaza Carter joined other world humanitarian leaders such as Nelson Mandella, Desmond Tutu, and all UN Human Rights representatives in describing the situation in Gaza as a crime and an atrocity. He said “It’s an atrocity what is being perpetrated as punishment on the people in Gaza. It’s a crime …I think it is an abomination that this continues to go on … Palestinians in Gaza are being starved to death”. Arab leaders should take a notice from Carter on how to defend their Palestinian brothers rather than contributing to their starvation."

"If we, the Israelis, want to consolidate our nation, we have to free ourselves from the myths that belong to another form of existence and re-define our national history. The story about the exodus from Egypt is good as a myth and an allegory - it celebrates the value of freedom - but we must recognize the difference between myth and history, between religion and nation, between a Diaspora and a state, in order to find our place in the region in which we live and develop a normal relationship with the neighboring peoples."

Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) has taken a lot of hits during his campaign for the White House. What scares folks about this guy? I went to hear him speak, on April 14, 2008, at Goucher College, Towson, MD. Unlike some dubious liberals in the Congress, Rep. Paul voted against the USA Patriot Act. He also wants to end the Iraq War and bring the troops home, now; and to dismantle America’s global empire before it bankrupts the country. Sounds like Ralph Nader to me!