Uhmm, dude . .. While Nabeel may have something legit', Thoms' "I get it - Saddam was a Republican!" I think was just hyberbole (an "over the top" joke)
. . . but take it as truth, since it fits with your cynically distorted view. (read: when someone as cynical as island sees you as cynical, you've got it bad;) )

I hope he meant Thom's first point!

Tabs, this and/or if you try and please everyone you wind up pleasing no one.......so you do the best you can with what you have to work with.........

doesn't IMO give carte blanche to please oneself alone! I don't think you meant that though.

The US "pragmatic block by block" steps to make the Middle East "good", could do with a couple of things:

1) a bit more consultation with everyone else
2) a better idea of what "good" constitutes.

I don't have the answer, and don't pretend to, but it sure doesn't look like the US Govt does either.

The point that I was refering to was the "wrong answers". :)