All commentaries are great, even better if you left God out of it. When will we stop this madness of relying on some mythical figure, one none of us have ever seen, and get on with rebuilding our country, a country built on the sweat and tears and the dreams of our Fathers and Mothers.

Prothetic indeed, though nothing to do with divinity just good old common sense, an ingredient so lacking in today's politicians. Any calling upon a higher power to intercede in our demise will fall on deaf ears – when will we take on the responsibility ourselves – get out of our Ivory towers and the comfort of our living rooms and bring back civility and common sense to our world. When will the WO understand that they will never overcome the people (as long as we get off our backsides).

Indeed it has, while we sit and do nothing - where are the effects of our ripples? encouragingly, Real ID is being shot down, perhaps that's the beginning.

As Franklin said 'Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both'.

wow! I agree with you all - well done! THERE MUST BE INALIENABLE RIGHTS

Archer, this is their Mission Statement: The Council on Foreign Relations is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.

Editor, Are you sure Reagan said this or was it written for him.

Perhaps after reading the report, based on twenty years of study, I may have an opinion. I don't believe CFR has any power it's just a resource/think tank, and going on our history with foreign affairs they need to do a lot more thinking than tanking.

Well done Joe, at least someone knows what he's talking about

Mike, you are wrong - they were started by America and that is a long story...

Another cop-out - thats what pertracted the WWII - Please tell me if American Policy is any different - WAR is big bussiness

Bush wasn't elected by the people either.

The Editor let loose the dogs of war with this one. Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black. I dislike the politics of GWB but the quote's good. What's the difference folks, the US going around as peacekeepers or the UN - I think I prefer the UN.

It’s amazing, we never learn - we just go on making the same stupid mistakes - it must be in our genes or something. When you work together in the interest of the people you attain Liberty; fear, regardless on what side, should never be part of the equation. The people will never know the truth and therefore are unable to make informed decisions; their decisions are based along party lines, sound bites, and a TOTAL ignorance of the subject at hand. The government wants transparency but as soon as we come close to seeing through the veil of corruption and greed, we have an accident. Until the people are strong enough and informed our sovereignty is up for grabs. Our (the People) supreme power lies in education and the transparency of government, and that is why you are denied it. It has nothing to do with socialism or capitalism, both have merit, what doesn’t have merit is our lack of basic principles and goodness – this is what will bring on the new age.

Real freedom fighters preserve life at all costs - tyranny is not part of their vocabulary. We are responsible for the act by doing nothing - we are as guilty as they are.

Mike, a quick question; how can the middle class exist if there are no middle class salaries?

well said Springfield - words are wasted on this one

Without any wisdom...

Tell that to the American people, but first pull their heads out of the sand. I am fascinated by the fact that right-wing conservatives (neo-cons) and religious fundamentalists have this aged old tactic of accusing the other side of exactly what they themselves are responsible for. I suppose the socialists are responsible for the worst crisis in America since 1945. As I said yesterday and repeat today you tout free trade yet allow the government and Fed to step in when things get messy. America is the Nation that protects the rich and kicks the poor, we allow profits to be privatized and losses to be socialized -- well done hypocrites. I hope you are now satisfied. Fortunately for you, the liberals will have to come in and clean up the mess.

That was really a dumb statement... that is the purpose of the UN (a92 Nations agree). I would like to read before the … - I think David meant "Join the US". Terry, laws and behavior are two very different things - sovereignty doesn’t seem to matter with the US. Each State (Nation) is its own master until their abuse human rights and are responsible for atrocities – it’s that simple - wake up America.

That was a different day a different dollar...

It’s Amazing!!! I give this six stars: The US more or less kicks out the UN when they invaded Iraq. The UN said Iraq had no WMD – the UN had over the years disarmed Iraq (easy prey for any aggressor), The US then got themselves into an almighty mess – no one could speak Arabic there were no executive personnel with combat or foreign policy experience; Bremer, who made three calamites decisions (actually it was more like 12) asks Sergio Vieira de Mello (a top UN diplomat) for advise gets it then Sergio gets killed by a truck bomb for which no one claims responsibility (very suspect). The UN does an incredible job considering they are not the friend of despots and tyrants, which makes me wonder what we are. Thank you Damon and Reston for some sanity in this blog. Archer as much as I have agreed with your pasts posts this I am afraid is way off base. The job of the UN is to help the peace it is the those you say they comspire with who are the real culprits, them and ignorant governments - The UN are not the subverters WE ARE... The UN has many wonderful success stories, alas us humans like to concentrate on the negaitve side of effort. The US ops our of treaties when its suite the bankers and corporate enterprise. The UN is backed by 192 countries and fights not only for peace but also against poverty and hunger. China our big trading partner kills innocent protesters in Tibet - "The Chinese military is shooting Tibetan demonstrators "like dogs," creates slave labour, creats a pollution problem that may cost us the globe, is communist, has WMD and the fabulous and moral and ethical America does zilch – give me a break – we are just, well, you name it! P.s. watch a documentary "No End in Sight" for the truth about Iraq and I'm sure there's a lot more we don't know. What is a CON is the GOP

Please you guys - Democratic conservatism is more allied with fascism than socialism. Socialism began because workers were being screwed by capitalists and things haven’t changed one bit. No matter what system you have if it’s not compassionate and considerate of its people interests it will fail - the key is benevolence.

Yes Carlton I agree - I was at a financial seminar the other day and an economist said when asked about our jobs going abroad that America has a great manufacturing base and quoted mostly companies making military equipment. Empires crumble and unless we start rethinking our catastrophic foreign and domestic policies ours will crumble too (not that we had one).

It's called EGO! It’s amazing, we are meant to have a free market - its OK until the banks and corporations hurt then the Fed comes along and bails them out - how about giving the poor workers some of the profits corporations make and the mammoth CEO salaries from jobs lost abroad in a free market? Another amazing fact is that most workers, unlike their counter parts in Europe, vote republican, and yet this is the party that screws them - I have yet to work out why that is. Perhaps some of you out here have the answer?