"The first victims of radical islamists are the moderate muslims, not the western world."

We agree completely, sad to say.

"If the roadmap to peace had first passed to Jerusalem instead of Baghdad, moderate muslims would be respecting Bush a lot more."

It did. Several times. Clinton's ME peace plan that was summarily rejected, as a more recent example. Despite the UN and Stockholm crowning Arafat as a saint, appeasement and ass kissing of hoodlums doesn't work. I'm an engineer and a pragmatist. Sure, try the peace and love stuff first. Second and third too. But rational folks finally realize it isn't happening and won't happen, e.g. the 19 ineffective and disregarded UN resolutions on Iraq.

Finally, I don't give a rat's ass who does or does not respect Bush, the US or me. If folks are utter Nimrods on an issue, their respect is not something to be groveled for.