Intelligent reasonable people using logic and avoidence of obvious facts to pursue a line of reasoning that is based on a moral or deep sense of conviction rather than an objective review of the data. It happens even in science. This is why the peer review process is so important. I just wish the American press had a better filter for all the loony opinions with no basis or even counter basis that get printed/televised.

Common overlooked facts at habitablezone:

Decade long history of weapons inspector obstruction in Iraq

Smuggling under Iraq's sanctions

French/Russian pressure to ease sanctions while obvious obstruction in progress

Continued escalation of terrorist attacks during Clinton administrations period while following basically the same policies proposed as alternatives to Bush's

Opportunistic/anywhichway you can and damn the collateral damage attitude of terrorists

past history of war casualties

past history of civilian casualties during war

Repeated failures of commercial launch ventures

An obvious lack of direction from administrations and Congress for NASA

Actual inhospitable nature of planets found so far and their unexpected properties promoted as increasing odds for life when prior to their discoveries Sol like systems were expected to be common.

Actual history of human evolution when proposing evolution of intelligence is some natural positive feedback process.

CO2 is a proven greenhous gas and levels are rising commisurate with human activity

The impact of carbon dioxide on the average temperatures of Mars and Venus.

There are people here whose most strongly held convictions seem to prevent them from even acknowledging these facts.

Human nature always has and probably always will contain a strong tendency to believe what we want to. It is necessary in some portion to allow us to tackle and accomplish the seemingly impossible like going to the Moon, but it can really bog down democratic debate on more mundane issues.

Regards,
Mark