At the time some of us in the US say, in effect, "The hell with them if they don't like it - we can do it so we will do it."

And then wonder why folks don't like us. "What's the matter, you can't take a joke?"

The US sometimes sweeps like a tornado through smaller nations, and then goes home thinking all is well.

There are long memories out there, and Iraq is creating more of them. A lot more.

In the third world, Abu Ghaib is now known as a torture prison, period. Maybe first by Saddam, now by the US. There can't seem to be much difference in their eyes.

And yet we try to say that our intentions are great, and we should be forgiven. "He who means well and doesn't do well is a damned fool."

Read that when I was a kid.

Arf