I wouldn't get too excited, or not, about what Bush said in his speech. The President, on his own, can't do much of anything. He needs the Congress to enact many of these proposals. As a lame duck President in a Congressional election year, with Congress rocked by scandal, public opinion moving towards an end to the Iraqi war, the high price of gas, etc, I'm not sure that the President's speech moved a whole lot of people.

As far as Hamas as a government, it will be interesting to see how it unfolds. I don't think they expected to have to actually govern. I think they expected to make catcalls from the wings. It is my sincere hope that the burden of government turns them around. I, for one, think it is fitting that they won - they've been carping about the US and Israel, not let's see them run a country for themselves. Kind of like your kid that knows everything and runs away from home - they realize it is in fact a cruel world, and maybe the parents can provide some cover, and they come back and ask for help.

As fas as Iran, we are working through the UN to do something about that. What do you propose - we take military action? That would make us ever more popular.

As far as Iraq - I never trusted the intelligence on that one, and I think we should have given it more time. However, I am not a Congressman nor the President, so that opinion doesn't count for much, at least not until the next election. Like it or not, that is Democracy. If it works for Sara in Tehran, I guess it works for me in Florida.

As far as protecting Israel - yes we are protective. My memory is hazy on this, but I am pretty sure that President Clinton sent American troops to die in Bosnia and Herzogovinia. I don't remember Europe stepping up on that one. I remember them griping about why we weren't stepping up on that one. I don't remember having any special compelling national interests in Bosnia prior.

Last - as for being the lone superpower - no doubt that other countries are becoming leaders of influence, but they have miles to go before they become superpowers.