[dd74]

Pat - touching back on what Tabs said about power hating vacuums - I think he's onto something. Look at China and their growing pains. For example, 10,000,000 cars will be needed by the Chinese in the next twenty years. If I were the Chinese, it would behoove my well being if the U.S. were to lose Iraq and the rest of the M.E., so I could move on in there and take what I need. I realize what you're saying with the 93% that you cite - I imagine you include Venezuela in that percentage, which is at this moment Socialist. But while we pull away from foreign interests, is it really safe to have the Chinese in bed with the Iranians and possibly Iraqis? Who is to say that sort of union won't one day threaten the soverignty of the U.S.?