[Ol' Dan Tucker]

There would have been angry protests, of course. Perhaps even a few noisy rallies at churches or synagogues. But riots? 16 deaths? It's hard to imagine.

Yup, these are the very same people George W. Bush has said are ready to receive a democratic form of government?

"Bush praised the visiting head of Afghanistan's interim government, Hamid Karzai, as a man of "honor, courage and skill helping to build a new and democratic Afghanistan."

"That journey to democracy and peace deserves the support and respect of every nation," he said at a Rose Garden news conference after a meeting with Karzai, "because free nations do not breed the ideology of terror."

"Coalition forces, including many brave Afghans, have brought America, Afghanistan and the world its first victory in the war on terror," the president said. "Afghanistan is no longer a terrorist factory sending thousands of killers into the world."

Uh-huh. Ri-ight...

Tell us another one, George.