[billbears]

For the most fundamental reasons, I do not believe freedom is possible in any muslim country - never has existed to this day. I predict Iraq will end up with some sort of theocracy or semi-theocracy.

Of course it will. Leave the Muslims alone in Iraq for half a second and a generation from now, somebody will be right back there trying to 'fix' things again. Ask yourself in the past 100 years alone, how many of these Muslim run nations are considered a republic or a democracy? One. And that's Turkey. And it's been on the verge for 70 years

[GretchenEE]

America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country.

My favorite line in the speech -- and we Americans understand it, but I can see how some other (French-type) nations might feel a nonexistent threat in it. They don't understand that this is not a statement that we'll invade any nation we think might be a threat.

That whole notion of a true republic just never quite took among the French. It's like they got 3/4 of the formula, stopped their research, and popped the recipe in the oven, making for a flop-cake republic.