[Hilltop]

I agree that the statement about Iranian children was perjorative.

I had an Iranian friend that had a beautiful family, and we spent many an hour playing backgammon.

The Iranian people long to be free from the yoke of tyranny.

I think President Bush is going to scratch that itch.

[lentulusgracchus]

I concur that there's no reason to be casting aspersions on Iranian kids. Children who don't yet have their majority are entitled to some protection.

And the Persians, as a people, were admired even in antiquity, when their civilization was already ancient. They were known once as devoted to veracity, and their people were graceful, if servile; but their culture came of age in the Middle East long after the Devil had made it his plaything and his personal catbox.

People haven't generally twigged yet to the fact that our President is trying to reintroduce the spirit of freedom and people's rule to a region that lost both to bullyboy god-kings like Saddam 6,000 years ago. Those people have lived in subjection and abasement for that long, and what George W. Bush is doing is absolutely radically visionary and, if he succeeds, a political earthquake that will provoke the wrath of Lucifer himself. Do you see any signs of anyone's getting that yet?