First, the Iranians are not arabs!
This is why we hoped to have them on our side rather than against us.
They are willing to go after the Al Qaeda network but admit the border with Afghanistan is really enormous.
It never is confortable, even if there are moderate Iranians, to officially be treated an evil. It sure is the best way to alienate ourselves the entire Iranian population.

Since when has Europe taken a stand on anything beyond propping up their sick economy by trading with countries that lust for their destruction.
That's really unfair and untrue (trying to avoid using other words).
First, Israel won't want our involvement anyway (or the UN's).
Second, we trade among ourselves, and with the whole world.
We don't have much oil (other than from the North Sea) but try to diversify our energy sources: natural gas, oil, nuclear energy, tide or wind energy and energy conservation, for instance.
Third, rather than showing our muscles and yelling nasty words, we use diplomacy, keep in touch, stay in contact with their companies or through the embassies. It's not something that is necessarily openly discussed but there always are talks, even if it's sometimes only through relief NGO's.
Fourth, we've had our years of terrorism, but never sent troops anywhere to fight an undefined enemy that doesn't belong to a particular nation. We dealt with terrorism by quietly implementing safety measures in airports or having more police around us.
We also show respect to Arab customs (even if it was difficult to allow Muslim girls to wear the veil).
Fifth: I wonder what country lusts for our destruction?
Sixth: we made a mess in Israel? How? By allowing its creation in 1947?
I thought the UN recognized its existence, within the 1967 borders.
We have various points of views in Europe, concerning international affairs.
The British and the French are willing to send troops whenever and wherever their interest is at stake. But the other countries are willing to maintain an open channel with the other side.
One thing is certain (learned after WW2): Don't EVER humiliate a coutry and force its back against the wall. That's why Germany became nationalistic, antisemitic and caused WW2. Because the Versailles Treaty humiliated the WW1 loser so much.
Anyway, there are multiple opinions about multiple issues, over here.
It's always dangerous to generalize because a good fraction might feel hurt simply because they are trying to solve the issues.
Seventh (my lucky number): our sick economy?
Since my birth, the highest unemployment rate in Europe must have been 15%. All the more economically fragile countries that joined the EU benefitted enormously from it. True, it's not brilliant, but we are not loosing our money as fast as that.



Raoul