On Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:00:18 -0600, Chris Friesen wrote:

I may be an idealist, but in my view the only way to reduce the level
conflict is by reducing the factors leading to discontent in the first
place.

I guess I'm a bit of a pessimist on the issue. The "factors" of
discontent in that middle east are driven by religious fanatics who
cannot face the fact that it is that religion that's keeping them in the
middle ages while the rest of the world advances. The final stage of
that which we are beginning to see among the religious right in the US.

AFAIK, there are only three ways to deal with fanatics. Destroy them,
isolate them, or give in to them.

--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw