[Urbane Guerrilla]

Oh for Pete's sake, Rich, foreign policy IS homeland defense, particularly in time of war, declared or otherwise. A formal declaration of war -- though there isn't any enthusiasm for it because it feels too weird -- would clarify the thinking of certain mudheads nationwide who mistake a Republican President for the big-E Enemy. Talk about misordered priorities!

I agree on the federated Iraq, as we've seen what attempting absolutist control has wrought there under the Saddam regime. Dividing Iraq à la Gaul might give you proud independent states, but a greater likelihood of general poverty and less stability as well -- the likeliest meddler being Iran, in spite of its having been bled white in the first half of the eighties.

You know what? I think the Democrats will lose the next Presidential general election too. They don't have any war fighters, and no military strategists either. All they have are people who waste their time searching for some substitute for victory. That's searching for something that doesn't exist.