I personally don't feel my freedom threatened by Iraq. Instead, I feel much more threatened by Bush's wacky "Total Information Awareness" program, which will open up your life and mine to unfettered government surveillance of every kind imaginable (ShowerCam, anyone?).

Bin Laden has made it very clear that he abhors the "secular" Hussein. They are not going to be sharing bunkers anytime soon. As long as there's international pressure on Iraq---plus an army of inspectors---Saddam won't be a threat. Better we should go after Saudi Arabia, the psychological training ground for terrorism. Or Iran. Or any one of the dozens of despotic regimes around the globe. Where does it stop? Where do we draw the line? Should we have the world's dictators take an "Evil Aptitude Test" so we can prioritize our invasions?

I think we would be wiser to dramatically shore up security at our ports and borders. Then beef up police and firefighter strength...they're the ones who are really on the front lines if anything happens here.

I keep thinking of Teddy Roosevelt's adage: "Speak softly and carry a big stick." We would do well to heed his words. There are too many people in the middle east who feel like they have nothing to lose. Our invading Iraq without U.N. approval will only fan the flames of their desperate hatred further. Is that what we really want?

As for Korea, the fear isn't that they'll launch a nuclear missle at us, but that they'll sell the technology to a terrorist cell that will. Which again points toward beefing up our anti-terrorist agencies and police/fire infrastructure, not invading Iraq.

I just read a report that 100,000 bodybags and 6,000 coffins have just been delivered to a U.S. base in Italy. I feel great anger toward the despots and terrorists who have made the world a more dangerous place, and great disappointment at U.S. governments past and present who have, overtly or covertly, funded their madness.

But what do I know? Here's someone who is far more eloquent than I...

War...or No?