I suspect, as do not just a few others, that the planning for the war on Iraq was well underway long before 9-11 with precisely this idea in mind. I mean, if you’re intent on being King, there’s no time to waste – is there? We will be shamed by the current 'Reign' for a long time to come. Evidently, we need to really screw thing up in a really big way every 30-40 years or so. You know, just for the exercise. Every 30-40 years the last generation to have screwed things up badly is no longer relevant and the new generations have no recollections of the last screw-up. It's ancient history. They have no frame of reference so they're easier to manipulate.

Prescient, wise words.

S. Engel is spot-on in noting that this pietistic 'regret' applies equally to ALL 'classes'. It's a shame the quote implies that only the rich are invested with a selfish urge to 'bend the rules'. It REEKS sanctimony.

But we're persistent and persistence pays off. Heil, Nixon.

Remember, it was the necessity plea that justified slavery, the holocaust, the internment of the Japanese, the 'patriot' act, and the establishment of Guantanamo. 1783 ... 2006 and nothing's changed. At least we now have an honest definition of the word 'patriot'.

Everyone seems to have it just right. Bohemian Grove is just up the road from Occidental in Monte Rio (biker haven - lol - check out "google earth'). I'm surprised it took so long for the term 'NWO' to be recognized as meaning 'Corporate Control of the planet'.

Robert Reich was THERE eight years ago when we WEREN'T acting like fools in Iraq and he's no one's slouch.

Well, Anonymo(a), you clearly don't get out enough - ROFL. I mean, that race of Baptists or Evangelicals might disagree - lol.

But we NEED foreign investment, don't we? I mean, we won't be satisfied till we've sold ourselves and all we possess as a nation to foreign interests, will we? Soon foreign private interests will own more of America than will its population. And what does 'ownership' mean? It's defined as the right to USE and DISPOSE of in a manner according to the discretion of the owner. It's the New World Order of the Multinational orientation.

We're long over the cliff on this issue already what with the consolidation of FEMA into Homeland Security, the arrogation of powers by the Nixon-esque King George, the consolidation and blurring of intelligence functions, and the usurpation of the function of the Coast Guard to fight abroad. Heil!

It's a shame this isn't stressed more often in schools.

Re; "... at the Revolution": "A nation that forgets its past is doomed to repeat it." - by: Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) Prime Minister of England.

Of course, they made him drink poison hemlock. It's a tradeoff. - LOL

Pollyanna, how nice to meet you. NICE - adj. from Latin nescius, ignorant, from nescire, to be ignorant.

Corruption might be illustrated by the image of Bush 'squirting' the entire neighborhood while announcing his claim of bringing water to the entire world. (I especially like the use of the term 'squirting' - lol)

I believe the word 'all' in the phrase 'all men are ...' refers to humans globally and not just to those born under OUR Constitution. There are, evidently, some who think WE 'ARE' the whole world.

Tsk, tsk, magnanimity incarnate.

Then again, what does this say about those who allow their thoughts to be tampered with? I mean, there are still some who think Iraq had something to do with 9-11. Is that the fault of 'tampering'?

Of course, ... that's NOT a hard thing to do.

Could this little piece of advice account for the Bush administrations reluctance to provide information or is it just that they're simply competent to provide neither? That's not to say we haven't learned a thing or two from hurricane Katrina.

I'm in accord. OUR watchdog is the NSA.

I wonder sometimes whether it's not the "FADING American's conviction", what with the emphasis on NOT giving offence in, or in relation to, sacrosanct topics or venues. How comfortable would you be in saying to the clergy of ANY religion, or the Girl Scouts, 'Go to hell'? We're more likely to rely on the old and wise saw; 'Discretion is the better part of valor.' I'd put forth that the liberty to chose between strategies "is the very essence of the free man's way of life."

This seems a strained metaphor which may have had a greater and temporal relevance in its time. It's a small percentage of writers who present truly original and individual perspectives in their work. Most debates and expositions are rehashes of ancient arguments and perspectives masquerading as brand new issues in shiny new threads.

Bafflegab.

Sad but true.