But I can't think of any country in history that would degenerate into such hysterics, killing thousands of American Troops, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, spending trillions of dollars, subverting the most sacred covenants on which our country was based, making torture a regular tactic--all over an attack perpetrated by 19 men.

If that was our response to one terrorist attack, I'd hate to think what we'd give up if our country ever experienced the kind of home soil war or terror experienced by Europe and Russia in the 1940s, Iraq since the early 1990s, Vietnam in the 1960s and 70s, Iran in the 1950s and 1980s, and Israel and Palestine since the 1950s.

We simply are too immature to deal with war in a way that doesn't create distinct possiblity that we will destory ourselves in trying to defend ourselves. It's been a long time since we fought an enemy on our home soil and the last enemy we fought in a most bloody battle was ourselves in the 1860s.

Thank you. And yes. You got the joke.

So glad some folks got a laugh from it.

Only way I can deal with this administration.

I'm so sick of the Bush bashing I'm going to be sick too. Dismal? Who got our troops into Iraq to stop Saddam from comitting another 9/11? George Bush. Who stopped Saddam Hussein from gassing even another 400,000 Kerds? George Bush. Basically, Salon (nor any other liberel) doesn't have the courage to admit that George Bush invaded Iraq and stopped Saddam Hussein, the "worst tyrant since Adolf Hitler" (William Kristol).

If the safety of America is not the first thing then what is? Plus president Bush has brought back a Christian White House dedicated to the principles of making sure fetuses and stem cells are protected and bombing terrorists and the families that harbor them (or live next door, SORRY! Try picking another neighborhood!)

America under Bush is more prosperous, more Chinese owned, more wealthy as in there are more billionaires, and more prepared to defend against the immigrant threat, more stopping gays and more full of christianity.

If we didn't have Bush we may never have had the galvanizing unity after 9/11 or even a 911 at all. All Clinton brought to the white house was stability and prosperity and an unchristian affair. Thank god for Kenn Starr and the millions of dollars it took but we finally stopped Clinton. (Not stopped, but tied things up at least).

So cut the Bush bashing you librerels. You just want handouts like healthcare, good jobs and competent government. Thank god you've got diebold and electronic voting and the conservative movement owns the country and you'll never get it.

The narratives spun by the Israeli Govt and the American Media on one hand and the Palestinians and Arabs on the other are so contradictory and so blaming you'd think it was news from different planets.

I can't imagine how awful if must be to live with so much hatred and violence only inches and seconds away every day.

I ask why Israeilis and Palestinians who don't crave the absolute certainty of mutual desctruction don't get together and just finally put their houses in order. But then again, we elected "war is the solution...even when there isn't a problem yet" George Bush twice so we have no right to expect anything like that.

Neat. Then it'll be a surprise.

Yes, the cat and dogfighting is on.

But once we have a nominee we will, as we did in 2004 with Kerry, get behind the candidate and support them with everything we've got. I and all my friends worked for MoveOn and the Kerry campaign and while no of us liked him much, we almost got him elected.

Tom's extra cynicism is unecessary and thus, this cartoon is unhelpful and off the mark. But keep at it.

than will "Hydroderm" which is advertised on Salon's homepage.

Who has a bet how long this letter lasts on this page?

Free exchange of ideas vs commerce. It's a tough one and I don't blame Salon if they pull this letter down. They have to pay the bills. I just want to save some suckers some money.

of healing for my chronic immune disorder. They helped a little, but I relapsed and relapsed and over the years got worse and worse. I finally turned to western medicine to complement the mind-body medicine. I improved again, but once again I relapsed.

Now I'm sick and can tell you from experience that mind-body medicine is not the saving miracle for everyone and western medicine is not the outdated modality to be avoided.

If you use positive thinking and get well, be thankful. But don't assume it was all you and your thinking. If you didn't get well, would you simply blame yourself?

Were those who survived Birkenau and Auscwitz mentally stronger than those who did not? No, it was random in most cases.

If you know someone who is ill, but for whom mind body medicine is not helping, do not blame this person for not "self-healing."

Some things are in our control, some things are out of our control, and often we do not know which.

the unnecessary, immoral and unwinnable wars we keep losing.

But if you listen to the most prominent Christian leaders in America you'll know God favors free markets, lower taxes for rich people, closeted (or no) gays, the "surge," a pro-war version of Christ's teachings, abortion rights outlawed, prisons over programs for the poor, The USA over other countries, Private versus Universal Healthcare.

God hates: assault rifle bans, European style social democracy, free clinics, supporting the troops by bringing them home, organic food, congressional overight.

Just so we're clear.