Mr. Greenwald is right as usual, but doesn't go on to point out what's perhaps too obvious to mention in the context of Iran: Reagan not only talked to Iran during the hostage crisis, he gave the Iranians weapons. Senator McCain seems to have forgotten about that little incident.

I mean, putting aside the totally irresponsible rhetorical aspect of this constant Chamerlain/appeasment thing, it couldn't be less accurate of an analogy with regards to Iran. Germany were the ones doing the invading. I don't exactly see a Persian army on anyone's doorstep threatening to invade. As GG points out, Iran has never invaded anybody. We are the ones with an exported Army 1/2 way across the world. How could we possibly appease anybody? We're the ones doing the invading, not anybody else (save the British). The analogy lacks any semblance to reality.

.. that Phillips took the trouble to compare the signing of a treaty with the signing of an accord. The modern usage is totally without content. And I suppose in another twenty years most americans would consider it a reference to the basketball player.

Didn't Bush and company "appease" Gadhafi, the Terrorist, lead of the Great Terror Exporter that is Libya? We're normalizing relations with, err appeasing the terrorists who blew up Pan Am 103 killing over 100 Americans? Their hypocrisy knows no end.

...that Reagan "cut and ran" after the barracks bombing in Lebanon in 1983.

Compared to the war criminals in the current regime, Reagan looks like giant of statesmanship.

Some in the media are actually doing their jobs on this issue. From Chris Matthews smacking down the right-wing radio hack over the meaning of "appeasement" , to others regularly running the clip of McCain suggesting we have to negotiate with Hamas, the legs have been cut out from under this "controversy" and for once, the Republicans are coming out looking bad in the media on this one.

Glenn Greenwald offers another egghead Heritage style legal hair-splitting analysis.

Meanwhile millions and millions of Americans are borrowing on their credit cards to pay for food and gas and the misery index approaches that of the Great Depression.

Do you really think anyone besides 50 Salonista professional lefty-lefts has patience for your tripe?

But you've achieved your goal in destroying the candidate that could have beat your cherished Republicans, so drone on.

Reagan explicitly cited Nixon's opening to China as a precedent for his Iranian dialog. Here's a link to a very revealing speech of Reagan's: http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1986/111386c.htm

It is illminating that in the speech, the US President talks about the US national interests in the Middle East -- ending the Iran-Iraq war (check), ending Soviet influence (check), ending state-sponsored terrorism (of course) and finally, something about oil.

It's hard to go back and read the discourse of Reagan's time and not come to the conclusion that the warmongers who dominate our government today are not only after the same goals (oil), but in many cases are the exact same people.

... the story goes.

`Once on a time, into his simple house a country mouse receives a city mouse, his friend : though frugal of meagre stores, he opened wide his soul's unstinting doors and shared the shriveled peas and oaten grits, hoping, with raisins and half nibbled bits of lard, his feast would overcome (forsooth!) abstention by his friends disdainful tooth, while he, the scrimping host, outstretched on straw, left the best morsels for his guest to gnaw.

Finally,

City Mouse, said : 'Friend, what pride can living on this bushy ridge provide?

Forest lack all the redeeming city features! Let's hit the road together!

Earthly creatures all are equally mortal, great or small. and death eventually will come to all : therefore, remembering your life's brief span, wee mouse, enjoy its pleasures while you can!`

-

Struck by his words, the country mouse departed. led by a friend, then trudged the road they'd started together, creeping toward the town at night. Shades were already veiling heaven's light when, in a splendid mansion, both set paw stealthily. Strewn on ivory beds they saw gleaming red coverlets; not far away baskets rich scraps from yesterday (olive oil baked dough balls? liberty. forgive me, Horace) . Plumping the country mouse on purple covers outstretched, his host industriously hovers around, serves endless dishes, never tarries, and, like a slave, taste everything he carries.

Country Mouse, reveling in untold favors of fortune, plays the pampered guest and savors unending bliss, when *CRASH!* both bolt from bed as doors ban open, scamper off half dead with terror, as the elevated house echoes with barking dogs. Said Country Mouse. "NO Life for me : I;m off! My wooded cave shelters and gives me everything I crave!"

(Maybe READ Horace 2X's?) 'Hit" politico's with a 2 X 4? Then : xoxoxxoooxo? gads. CRASH.

Everyone agrees about and discusses Reagan's puulout from Lebanon.

Am I the only one who has noticed that we've also pulled our basing out of Saudi Arabia? I can't think of any way to characterize that except as a complete capitulation to the demands of Osama Bin Laden. Certainly that is an angle that needs more play in the current stupidity...oops, I meant 'debate'.

What people and what territory did Reagan sign away, to a genocidal maniac?

Excuse me...

What people and what territory did Reagan sign away, to a genocidal maniac?

Oh now that's funny. Could you please enlighten me as to which US state Obama is offering to which genocidal maniac?

Am I the only one who has noticed that we've also pulled our basing out of Saudi Arabia? I can't think of any way to characterize that except as a complete capitulation to the demands of Osama Bin Laden.

I'd characterize it as good sense. We no longer need to enforce no fly zones in the south of the country, or need to protect Saudi Arabia from Iraq, or need the bases for regional strategic purposes. They were a political liability whose usefulness dwindled.

Besides, Mr Bin Laden is hardly likely to see it as capitulation in the sum of things. Iraq may not have Mecca and Medina, but it is as much Islamic soil as Saudi Arabia.