Some of the Palestinians just don't get it, do they? Their own leadership brings in a decent prime minister (Abbas?) and Arafat immediately works on undermining his authority completely. It's so frustrating. They've had 5 or 6 suicide bombers in the last 3 weeks, and about the same number in 3 months before that. It looks like someone in their midst is trying to oust Abbas, and I'll bet it is Arafat.
Too bad, too, since the US plan would give them an independent state in 2005. They're just too blasted impatient.
Of course, having a society based on a religion that condones hate between religious groups (section 55 of the Koran says Muslims should not be friends to Jews and Christians because they are friends to each other - how stupid!) can never work well at all.
Don't get me wrong, though. We Christians have our own idiot zealots, as well. Because of the extreme poverty and desperation involved in the Muslim fundamentalists (aka: zealots), they seem to be willing to do much more violent acts to further their cause. The world is getting way too violent these days.
When I was in the Navy from '75 to '81, they told us that the US government was not really worried about the Soviets (who were in power then), but they WERE concerned with the other hot-spots in the world. And, yes, they mentioned the Middle East. How true that has become!

Check out this guy's answer to chain emails. I completely agree with him!
Click here: A response to chain emails!

It's great (NOTE: sarcasm here) to hear the Democrats whining about President Bush's speech aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln last week. Yes, it was a show. Yes, it was meant to cheer on the troops and sailors who participated in the Iraq operations and YES, it was meant to psych the American people! Personally, being a Navy veteran, I loved it! Go for it, Georgie-boy!!!
It is irritating to hear the Dems complain about just about anything President Bush does, but the Republicans pulled the same garbage while Bill Clinton was President. It was stupid then, and it's stupid NOW, people.

The blog for the guy in Baghdad has finally been updated. He's at: Click here
Check it out! Some very interesting remarks from his perspective.

Check this article out from the CBS News website today:
(CBS) Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev said the United States cast aside international law by going to war in Iraq without United Nations approval.
Gorbachev praised resistance to the war in the U.N. Security Council by Russia, France and Germany, telling reporters the three countries "showed great responsibility and were correct."
MY COMMENT: I canNOT believe the Russians are giving US grief about being "imperialistic." Give me a break, people. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
Granted, we don't usually engage in pre-emptive wars against our enemies, but times have changed drastically since 9/11.

My nephew flew into Oceana NAS yesterday after a 10-month deployment to the Middle East. Judy (my sister and his mom) called me last night to let me know. Now she can relax a little bit - and so can he. He's been through a lot so I guess I'll let him decompress for a little while before I start asking questions.
Thanks, Andrew, you've performed a great service for our country and for your career in the Navy. Way to go!