[An Old Marine]

Speaking this way in Europe is not as hopeless as it may seem.

Always worth a try but the reality is that these career diplomats really don't care. It'll take a generation to clean them out and make any progress.

[Dark Skies]

Condi is generously blessed with backbone, poise, and vision. She stands head and shoulders above anyone in either party in terms of being well-suited to become president in 2008.

I believe God has again smiled on America.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[numberonepal]

with a velvet glove

... cleverly concealing brass knuckles.

[Inwoodian]

What a stark contrast with the Clinton years. They started out with the United States being represented overseas by an absolute twerp, Warren Christopher. (I'm sure everyone remembers him being left in the waiting room for over an hour, twiddling his thumbs, by Haffez Assad). He is then replaced by a bureaucrat with a bit more testosterone, the schoolmarmish Madeline Albright. She is best remembered by her brooch collection and her discovery late in life that she is a Jew. Neither had a single memorable achievment in eight years ( unless one considers Haiti as a positive).

[MonroeDNA]

To paraphrase Sharansky (who's book, "The case for Democracy," Bush read):

Don't bring stability to the world (by appeasing dictators), and then talk about Democracy. Bring Democracy and Freedom to the world, and stability will follow.