Tim Daneliuk wrote:

good points snipped

I'm an immigrant. When I say "America is the greatest country
in all of human history" it's based at least somewhat in
having lived elswhere and seen some of the alternatives. They
don't like us? Screw 'em. IMNSHO the US should materially
withdraw from the rest of the world for 10 years or so and
just concentrate on our own interests and self-defense while
maintaining commercial relationships with everyone else. Then
the world would see just how much they lost in the deal ...

Tim...

I think most of us have had thoughts like this - but think about
it a bit more...

This option has always been available; and whenever we've tried
isolationism we've not been pleased with the result. More
importantly, two of our cultural underpinnings are that we value
generosity (in all forms, not just with capital) and that we
believe in helping others - all others - who we perceive as being
in need of help.

And experience has shown that it's in our best interests (on any
scale you care to consider) for all people everywhere to thrive.
It really /is/ a small planet.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto, Iowa USA