I share some of your frustrations. On the other hand, do you think the US is comparable to the Taliban and Iran for instance? The Taliban physically crush homosexuals; they beat women because they are not properly covered....Iran and Saudi Arabia have these religious police (Mutaween) who go around intimidating and beating women who are not properly attired.

Women's rights under Saddam vs under the "new and improved" constitution instituted during US rule:

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=32693

IRAQ: Saddam Better for Women

By Sanjay Suri

LONDON, Mar 29 (IPS) - Women were far better off under former Iraq dictator Saddam Hussein, a women's group has found after an extensive survey in Iraq.

''Under the previous dictator regime, the basic rights for women were enshrined in the constitution,'' Houzan Mahmoud from the Organisation of Women's Freedom in Iraq told IPS in an interview.

...

The recent constitution which was written under the U.S. government's supervision is ''very backward and anti-women,'' Mahmoud said. ''They make Islam the source for law making, and the main official religion of the country. This in itself means Islamic Sharia law and according to this women will be considered second-class citizens and will have no power in deciding over their lives.''

...

''Security is absent, all basic services, and above all the protection for women's rights is in no way on the agenda of any of the political parties who have been hand-picked by the U.S. administration in the installed so-called parliament.''

...

''The rape, abduction, abuse in prisons by prison guards, and killing of women is widespread,'' she said. ''The lack of security and proper protection for women is a major issue and no one, neither the occupying forces nor the local police of the puppet regime. is doing anything about it.''

...

''The U.S. administration has handpicked a few women and imposed them on people in the so-called parliament,'' she said. ''These women are very unknown to Iraqi women. Most of them belong to the reactionary right wing parties in power and they follow their agenda, which is discriminatory against women

...

Women particularly would ''want to see security restored so at least they can go out freely without being attacked, kidnapped or having acid thrown on their face,'' Mahmoud said. ''In addition, women want equality, freedom and their rights to be recognised in the constitution, and above all to be treated as equal human beings.'' .''

We go into one of the few secular societies in the middle east, where women were actually valued members of society, and we throw them back into "Teh Good Old Times".

Yeah, go ahead and cry me a feckin' river about the plight of women.

I may be just saying this because you seem to have aligned with all of my points, but chapeau--you are like a brilliant laser beam today.

Why, thank you. I think. ;-}

And Rove. anyone want to tell me Rove was nothing but a terrified child in school?

Not Rove. Who do you think they based the Chucky movies on? ;-}

I believe Israel's IAF can deal with this global problem if the US would simply leave her alone.

I'm sure someone's already asked, but does "leave her alone" include withdrawing the taxes I pay which have been used to enhance "her" military arsenal?

I've made it a policy to not respond to disrespectful members. -- Steve Klein

So there. And I'll bet his definition of 'disrespect' is as elastic as the rubber drawers he wears in public to keep from embarrassing himself.

Whoops! Guess I just made the list! ;-}

I'm sure it makes sense for a people at war (in this century) to go to middle schools and inspire 12 year olds to "volunteer" for the front.

What's the age limit you put on acceptability for such behavior? Because our own recruiters have been invading the high schools and threatening the kids:

http://www.kvue.com/news/state/stories/072808kvuerecruit-bkm.10c88acd.html

More lovely residue from the No Child Left Behind Act. Bet you didn't think they meant Iraq when they said that.

How can you compare Iran to Vietnam? Vietnam did not do anything to the US.

What has Iran done to the US?

Be specific.

And just to head off one piece of bullshit, the embassy takeover was a direct response to our meddling in Iran's internal politics, as was the Iranian Revolution. We shoved the Shah down their throats and they didn't like it. Well, waddaya know.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/4/newsid_3910000/3910627.stm