First off, and I think I speak for many here, it's good to hear from you Publius!

Bhutto's assassination is like a replay of Sadat's. We have groups in the world who are still very elemental and they fear women & sex, fear other religions, fear the western way of life and these groups are hardly much elevated from the frightened animal cowering from the unknown.

In these cultures they indoctrinate their young, not with freedom or individualism, as we do in the west - but with honor and conformity. A human thus indoctrinated is very dangerous. Honor is sustained by how well they obey their religious creeds and their entire self-worth is established on the concept of conformity!

This is what religions are so insidiously doing - creating mass conformity and obedience, and hanging over it all is a primal fear of oblivion, purgatory or dishonor in the eyes of some god.

Blaming Bush for the state of affairs in Pakistan is not a solution to these regions problems. On flame, Art posted a movie "The Power of Nightmares" which ironically illustrates the TRUE problem with the west in dealing with these cultures which are destructive to large masses of human individuals. The left and their disdain for individualism and capitalism, embrace theological cultures merely because they also shun individualism and personal wealth. It's a very dangerous game they play as they praise these theological ascetics, when these same folks hold the leftists and their godlessness in contempt.

In this sense the political left, see in Bhutto's assassination just another attempt to blame the west, blame the conservatives in an attempt to elevate themselves and consolidate more political power. There is no true concern for these folks overseas - there never has been. They are just a circumstance to exploit. A photo-op with a Palestinian leader every few years to show how much they love peace.

They do not love peace.

If they did they would address the cause. But they are too cowardly to do so, and so they blame the west for the savagery found elsewhere. This is the problem. The west, due to ignorance and declining schools, is a culture in decline. It is cannibalizing itself. The selfishness of a few, poison the masses and turn the society cancerous.

This is a danger in individualistic societies. But understanding it and addressing it is the key to recovery. The masses must reject the "blame America - blame western culture" message taught to our children where some have self-hypnotized themselves into believing that the "ultimate western elevated thought" is anti-western rhetoric.

No, the west is not to blame for the savagery in the East. It has been going on since before America was colonized and will continue on if their culture does not institute a reformation.

Unlike the BBC anti-western propaganda film, the answer to the problems in the east are to establish the values of individualism, women & non-conformity.

The left, in their blind, greedy grabbing for political power now, risk dooming the world of the future to another theological era of terror - in Europe, in America and destroying the very freedoms and liberties they so exploit for personal gain.

That's my take on it.

Again, it's good to see you posting again Publius! Have a happy New Year!

;-)

SDAI-Tech1