I know Saddam is a madman.

Now people try to give order to their worlds, and in doing so they can tie together related and unrealted facts.

There is no question that the US is the only country in the world that even remotely tolerates Sharon's expansionist plans. It is generally held ot be political suicide to take on the Israeli lobby, and Bush Jr. has been burned before here. And every time he critizes Sharon he gets burned.

This isolation caused by Likud's expansionist plans makes it damned difficult to deal with a madman like Saddam.

Furthermore, unless there is an agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, even if its stopped this time, you can be sure that more terrorists will arise in the future.

The US inability to face up to Sharon also has economic consequences.

Everyone forgets the cheap oil and the disasterous (for them) Japanese loans that financed the Reagan tax cuts.

Those days are over.

No one has any incentive to lower oil prices.

Promoting rail use is also political suicide, as no one wants to take on trucking or to hurt the already suffering air industry.

SUVs are unsustainable in the long run.

There are no portable fuels which can currently replace oil.

The US line of credit is also going, as more people switch to Euros.

I don't know how it will all play out, but I am damned uncomfortable right now.

ep