Yes, we've bought ourselves some time in Iraq by paying half of the insurgents to fight for us and to murder their al-Qa'ida cousins. Yes, we are continuing to prop up Saudi Arabia's head-chopping and torture-practising regime – no problem there, I suppose, after our enthusiasm for "water-boarding" – but this does not mean that al-Qa'ida is defeated.

Because al-Qa'ida is a way of thinking, not an army. It feeds on pain and fear and cruelty – our cruelty and oppression – and as long as we continue to dominate the Muslim world with our Apache helicopters and our tanks and our Humvees and our artillery and bombs and our "friendly" dictators, so will al-Qa'ida continue.

Must we live thi...

Yes, we've bought ourselves some time in Iraq by paying half of the insurgents to fight for us and to murder their al-Qa'ida cousins. Yes, we are continuing to prop up Saudi Arabia's head-chopping and torture-practising regime – no problem there, I suppose, after our enthusiasm for "water-boarding" – but this does not mean that al-Qa'ida is defeated.

Because al-Qa'ida is a way of thinking, not an army. It feeds on pain and fear and cruelty – our cruelty and oppression – and as long as we continue to dominate the Muslim world with our Apache helicopters and our tanks and our Humvees and our artillery and bombs and our "friendly" dictators, so will al-Qa'ida continue.

Must we live this madness through to the very end of the Bush regime in Washington? Is there no one in that magnificent, imperial city who understands what "we" are doing out here in the Middle East? Why on earth does The Washington Post even give room to the fantasies of a functionary from the CIA, the very organisation that failed to prevent 9/11 because – if we are to believe what we are told – a phone call in Arabic about crashing planes into the twin towers hadn't been translated in time? Are we going to bomb Iran? Is this what we are waiting for now? Or is it to be another proxy Iranian-American war in Lebanon, fought out by Hizbollah and the Israelis? And does Mike believe al-Qa'ida is in Iran?

Israel continues to build settlements for Jews – and Jews only – on Arab land. And Washington does nothing. Illegal though these settlements are, George Bush goes along with it. They fuel anger and frustration and a righteous sense of grievance – and Washington will not prevent this outrage from continuing. I open my Arab papers each morning to find new reasons why the Bin Ladens of this world will not go away.

Take the story that came out of Gaza this week. Eight Palestinian students won grants from the Fulbright scholarship programme to study in the United States. You'd think, wouldn't you, that it was in the interest of America to bring these young Muslim people to the land of the fre[b]...

Israel continues to build settlements for Jews – and Jews only – on Arab land. And Washington does nothing. Illegal though these settlements are, George Bush goes along with it. They fuel anger and frustration and a righteous sense of grievance – and Washington will not prevent this outrage from continuing. I open my Arab papers each morning to find new reasons why the Bin Ladens of this world will not go away.

Take the story that came out of Gaza this week. Eight Palestinian students won grants from the Fulbright scholarship programme to study in the United States. You'd think, wouldn't you, that it was in the interest of America to bring these young Muslim people to the land of the free. But no. Israel won't let them leave Gaza. It's all part of the "war on terror" which Israel claims it is fighting alongside America. So the US State Department has cancelled the scholarships. No, it's not worth turning yourself into an al-Qa'ida suicide bomber for such a nonsense. But it would be difficult to find anything meaner, pettier, more vicious than this in yesterday's papers.

By all means, don't believe Bush, don't believe me. Maybe you'll believe Al Qaeda?

What an extraordinary statement, putting Bush, Alanocu and al-Qaeda in the same statement! Bush has lied and deceived the American public continuously. Al-Qaeda has made false boasts, TG. Alanocu seldom ever expresses any opinion on anything but I've no reason to doubt his word.

Yes, voting for the worst American president ever does count even if it was only the first time round that you voted for him. It was not only 'hanging chads' and bought judges that had him elected. Avoiding personal responsibilities allows you the opportunity of repeating your error again while wringing your hands bas...

By all means, don't believe Bush, don't believe me. Maybe you'll believe Al Qaeda?

What an extraordinary statement, putting Bush, Alanocu and al-Qaeda in the same statement! Bush has lied and deceived the American public continuously. Al-Qaeda has made false boasts, TG. Alanocu seldom ever expresses any opinion on anything but I've no reason to doubt his word.

Yes, voting for the worst American president ever does count even if it was only the first time round that you voted for him. It was not only 'hanging chads' and bought judges that had him elected. Avoiding personal responsibilities allows you the opportunity of repeating your error again while wringing your hands based on collective responsibility, so diminishing your share.

It was Robert Fisk that put forward the contrary theory in the article. Do you believe him? It was partly due to his ideas that I chose the title, but I'd other reason not in his article which I'll cover in my next comment.

This is the third major personal swipe that you've had at me recently. I responded to your last go at me. It was no surprise to me that you didn't follow up. All talk and no action? This time?

And you can continue to throw my dead brothers and sisters of this country in my face, but your compassion for the cause is lost.

I'm not saying that I understand fully the content of this statement.

You are wrong if as an Irish person you believe I'm any less upset at the death of any young soldier who was American, Iraqi, British or wherever, and maybe more that your warmonger president who seems impervious to home casualties. All humans are equal for me no matter their colour.

Republicans are notorious warmongers as long as its someone else's kids doing the dying. In their opinion the white trash and black kids are for the purpose of enriching them in foreign wars. Need...

And you can continue to throw my dead brothers and sisters of this country in my face, but your compassion for the cause is lost.

I'm not saying that I understand fully the content of this statement.

You are wrong if as an Irish person you believe I'm any less upset at the death of any young soldier who was American, Iraqi, British or wherever, and maybe more that your warmonger president who seems impervious to home casualties. All humans are equal for me no matter their colour.

Republicans are notorious warmongers as long as its someone else's kids doing the dying. In their opinion the white trash and black kids are for the purpose of enriching them in foreign wars. Need I go further than Iraq or are you still in favour of its invasion now?

Your generals are notorious for courting publicity at home while putting their men in harm's way away. Every time they make a claim then al-Qaeda intervene on cue and we end up with more dead Americans. This has happened so often that even these blockheads must know by now and prepare the body bags. How can you conduct a successful war on the media?

It was to this phenomenon that was was referring to with my title "when will they ever learn?' should be clearer now. Your "I live a fairly simple life ... I'm perceived as such an awful human being" is all meaningless to me but I'll skip your explanation as to what it was about. I welcome debate but not cut and run snipping.

I really sorry for any lose of personal friends that you've had. However all violent deaths before three score and ten of black, white or yellow is a cause of sorrow for we are all diminished while we allow war.

Xenophobia:
As with all phobias, a xenophobic person is aware of the fear, and therefore has to genuinely think or believe at some level that the target is in fact a foreigner. This arguably separates xenophobia from racism and ordinary prejudice in that someone of a different race does not necessarily have to be of a different nationality. In various contexts, the terms "xenophobia" and "racism" seem to be used interchangeably, though they can have wholly different meanings (xenophobia can be based on various aspects, racism being based solely on race and ancestry).

For xenophobia there are two main objects of the phobia. The first is a population group present within ...

Xenophobia:
As with all phobias, a xenophobic person is aware of the fear, and therefore has to genuinely think or believe at some level that the target is in fact a foreigner. This arguably separates xenophobia from racism and ordinary prejudice in that someone of a different race does not necessarily have to be of a different nationality. In various contexts, the terms "xenophobia" and "racism" seem to be used interchangeably, though they can have wholly different meanings (xenophobia can be based on various aspects, racism being based solely on race and ancestry).

For xenophobia there are two main objects of the phobia. The first is a population group present within a society that is not considered part of that society. Often they are recent immigrants, but xenophobia may be directed against a group which has been present for centuries. This form of xenophobia can elicit or facilitate hostile and violent reactions, such as mass expulsion of immigrants, or in the worst case, genocide.

The second form of xenophobia is primarily cultural, and the objects of the phobia are cultural elements which are considered alien. All cultures are subject to external influences, but cultural xenophobia is often narrowly directed, for instance at foreign loan words in a national language. It rarely leads to aggression against individual persons, but can result in political campaigns for cultural or linguistic purification. Isolationism, a general aversion of foreign affairs, is not accurately described as xenophobia.
...Wikipedia

Alanocu, do you have some notion that ClipMarks is only for Americans? New to me.

righthand, whatever your motives are for damning the policies, the people and the President of this country, just know that we stand and will continue to stand as one nation, not Republicans and Democrats.

Where is there any evidence for "your motives are for damning the policies, the people and the President of this country" outburst, except in your head? I'm afraid I do not share your reverence for your president. Thankfully 75% of Americans now agree with me. If you not had great former presidents like Carter and Clinton to compare against then you might have some excuse for clinging to your b...

Alanocu, do you have some notion that ClipMarks is only for Americans? New to me.

righthand, whatever your motives are for damning the policies, the people and the President of this country, just know that we stand and will continue to stand as one nation, not Republicans and Democrats.

Where is there any evidence for "your motives are for damning the policies, the people and the President of this country" outburst, except in your head? I'm afraid I do not share your reverence for your president. Thankfully 75% of Americans now agree with me. If you not had great former presidents like Carter and Clinton to compare against then you might have some excuse for clinging to your blind faith in Bush.

I have absolutely no doubt that you will "stand and will continue to stand as one nation, not Republicans and Democrats." Why do you feel the need to tell me? Why do you doubt it? Xenophobia - with its brother, racism - is a first cousin of FEAR and just as irrational in this case. Why should the people of strongest military power the world has ever seen be so fearful? Why are the least powerful nations the least fearful - Iceland, Ireland?

It would make me sad to know that you enjoy watching the struggle of a nation, but from my perspective, America is not going to fall, so don't hold your breath.

Alanocu, are you familiar with he expression "better the devil you know ... ". Well, I'd much prefer to deal with America the superpower than Russia or China although each has less recent proven imperialist ambitions. One superpower is preferable for world peace than 2 or 3. If America could learn the lesson that Bush refused to learn - that invasion doesn't work and only produces dead Americans soldiers and dead civilians like Vietnam, Lebanon, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq with Granada the exception - then world peace wo...

It would make me sad to know that you enjoy watching the struggle of a nation, but from my perspective, America is not going to fall, so don't hold your breath.

Alanocu, are you familiar with he expression "better the devil you know ... ". Well, I'd much prefer to deal with America the superpower than Russia or China although each has less recent proven imperialist ambitions. One superpower is preferable for world peace than 2 or 3. If America could learn the lesson that Bush refused to learn - that invasion doesn't work and only produces dead Americans soldiers and dead civilians like Vietnam, Lebanon, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq with Granada the exception - then world peace would be possible. I seek world peace.

So Alanocu, I don't want America to fail, but wrapping yourself in the flag will not protect you, no matter how tight. Service in the military may not be your 'thing' but having been a Bush supporter you now owe your country more that lofty meaningless whinnying platitudes.

9/11 may have been a Zionist plot like USS Liberty, a false flag, an al-Qaeda attack or another. Aside from it, the evidence is clear that America has more to FEAR from within that without and yet your personal xenophobia isn't unique. The real losers of 9/11 are all the millions of Muslims that had nothing to do with 9/11 and had the highest regard for America. The more you abused them of their precious limited resources the more the ordinary Muslim regarded America! Who gained by turning many Americans into Islamophobics?