Dear candidate,
Do not try to be a leader but a servant for the well-being of mankind. Do not donate ideology but the tools for anyone to help themselves. Do not force any kind of belief on people but create circumstances that people can find their own way free of indoctrination and infiltration and make it clear and proof it day by day that you are not acting for yourself but for the oneness of mankind, free of greed and selfishness. We are one kind living on one little space in universe all trying to make the best out of existence. So do not waste energy on greed but on loving and caring for each other.

Do not try to be a leader but a servant for the well-being of mankind. Do not donate ideology but the tools for anyone to help themselves. Do not force any kind of belief on people but create circumstances that people can find their own way free of indoctrination and infiltration and make it clear and proof it day by day that you are not acting for yourself but for the oneness of mankind, free of greed and selfishness. We are one kind living on one little space in universe all trying to make the best out of existence. So do not waste energy on greed but on loving and caring for each other.

The whole thing is based on greed, if it’s for power, money, image cultivation etc. and it’s based on ideologies and/or religion. All these subjects lead to separation and by this to confrontation, conflict and even war. And they all promise peace after the struggle. But where there is struggle there is no peace, so the struggle has come to an end, hopefully not tomorrow but right away to give peace a chance. But greed and ideology prevent peace because of separation and therefore there is conflict and confrontation as one can clearly note reading the various comments dealing with reason and effect instead of what the subject basically is about. As long as this is going on, and most people tend to behave this way, there will be struggle and no peace at all. And there will be no candidate meeting the necessities of mankind which are food, drink, clothes, shelter, love and peace to enjoy the short period of lifetime available. Instead of caring for these basic needs mankind is wasting a hell of a time on worshiping all kind of beliefs, arguing and fighting about what’s right or wrong not really knowing what they are talking about and voting for somebody they do not know but belief will release them from their fears caused by their believes. But no outside power can fulfill this task. That is what every individual has to do by itself. The ones running for President should keep that in mind and shall stop poisoning the minds of people with dishonesty and cruel ideologies but prepare the ground for fulfillment of the basic needs of mankind so the individual is free to expand it's own personality in peace.

It is one thing to give a helpful hand as a leading nation in the world against dictatorship and contempt of human rights as far as another nation asks for help. But it is a different thing to cause even more problems for the oppressed people of those nations.
What I wish for the next president of the United States of America to be, is a person who is able to look over the rim of his tea cup as well as to accept different nations' culture and therefore not to exaggerate the exertion of influence on subsequent political actions after the asked for intervention.

I totally agree with you, Mr. Sher, that fairness and balance are the key words for the coming and all future presidencies all over the world.
Although this is "only" the election of a new president of the USA, it would be very narrow minded to think, interactions of the worlds mightiest nation would not have an influence on the rest of the world.

The WAY, the United States take political interventions will cause correlative answers - we reap what we sow.

The article is absolutely right, and I have long suspected that the only way the USA can live with peace and safety in this world is to adopt a fair foreign policy.

Given the US's vested interests abroad, and its bureaucratic inertia, I'm not sure how realistic that is...but I know we're technically right.

That said, I'm not sure I like ANY of the candidates this year, and I think the truth of the matter is that the American public will vote on less-than-global issues (heck, most Americans couldn't locate Tibet, Pakistan, or Burma/Myanmar on a map). That, and the fact that anyone seeking office is pressured to have unequivocal support for Israel, makes ours an unhappy world, and one which is unlikely to change this year.

The world is watching--does anyone even care?

This dis-united States of North America needs to pull the plug on our Fascist National regime! This regime has been bought from top to bottom; the political system is corrupted from local districting, to voting machines, to political apparata, to manipulated state officals, to politized Judges at all levels, and now purchased and controlled media. No longer do we have a 4th estate charged with exposing regime mafeasance; instead we have outlets for regime propaganda and diversionary celebrity gossip. No longer do we have an independent Congress; instead we have purchased sychophants with different labels to provide the appearance of difference. Judges are now advocates for unconstitional actions which in many cases is based on the gossip of ME tribal Priests supporting genocidal wars of conquest.

We are a peoples who can murder to save the eggs in a petri dish; while supporting leaders who would deny medical treatment to children to line the pockets of their corporate masters; fight for the rights of embryos; while supporting capital Murder of live humans, torturing of live humans for our leaders insanity, and the killing thousands for the ego fantasies of our lying decider; we are peoples who apparently believe the Earth was created 6000 years ago yet think we have the wisdom and the right to tell the peoples of the Earth how to live; we are peoples who consume the planet at a rate 32 times that of most peoples of the planet while railing against the world daring to suggest our excesses have something to do with the destruction of our planet.

We have become a nation the world can no longer endure; let us instead become 50 independent states cooperating with each other and other peoples to save the planet, end wars for men's egos, and try to live with some harmony on this tiny globe of blue in an universe of indifference!

The current US election has mnore global than domestic consequences - We Americans must be thoughtful about who we want to represent us to the world community. Bush is a total embarrassment.
Ohg.
http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/01/06/representing-us-to-the-world/

Mr. Rick Jones,

I am pretty sure that you are aware that throughout American electoral history candidates make promises, take positions, and make policy stances that they eventually, once they get in office, change or cannot keep. If Mr. Obama is elected as Prez. he'll realize that he habe to alter his platform to the realities of the day. In the future, Maybe his position on the Israeli/Palestinian issue will change.

I believe all candidates want peace between the two, however, that is contingent on the two. If the Israelis will agree to adhere to the 1948 UN Charter and the Arabs & Muslims quit using them as their scape goat for their failed states, peace may be possible.

Out of all the Democratic candidates, I believe Mr. Obama is the most honest and the least corrupted. I don't agree with some of the planks on his platform, I am a left-libertarian or Free Liberal independent. But, if he's on the ballot against any Republican, except for Ron Paul, I'll vote for him.

I intend to vote for Barack Obama in November, but I’m very disappointed in his stance on the Israel-Palestine issue. The problem is that this issue is not given an honest airing for the American people. As a result, the American people are basically ignorant of this issue, and it would be political suicide for an ambitious politician to address this issue fairly. Just as it would have been political suicide for Hillary to vote against the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Here is an article that shows what we are up against. It shows how Barack Obama executed his abrupt flip flop on Palestinian support when he began his campaign for a US
Senate seat from Illinois:

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article6619.shtml

How Barack Obama learned to love Israel

Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada, 4 March 2007

...“In 2000, when Obama unsuccessfully ran for Congress I heard him speak at a campaign fundraiser hosted by a University of Chicago professor. On that occasion and others Obama was forthright in his criticism of US policy and his call for an even-handed approach to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”…

…“But Obama's gradual shift into the AIPAC camp had begun as early as 2002 as he planned his move from small time Illinois politics to the national scene. In 2003, Forward reported on how he had "been courting the pro-Israel constituency." He co-sponsored an amendment to the Illinois Pension Code allowing the state of Illinois to lend money to the Israeli government. Among his early backers was Penny Pritzker -- now his national campaign finance chair -- scion of the liberal but staunchly Zionist family that owns the Hyatt hotel chain. (The Hyatt Regency hotel on Mount Scopus was built on land forcibly expropriated from Palestinian owners after Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967). He has also appointed several prominent pro-Israel advisors.”…

…“If disappointing, given his historically close relations to Palestinian-Americans, Obama's about-face is not surprising. He is merely doing what he thinks is necessary to get elected and he will continue doing it as long as it keeps him in power.”…

“Only if enough people know what Obama and his competitors stand for, and organize to compel them to pay attention to their concerns can there be any hope of altering the disastrous course of US policy in the Middle East. It is at best a very long-term project that cannot substitute for support for the growing campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions needed to hold Israel accountable for its escalating violence and solidifying apartheid.”

It is clear to me that our only hope for an honest government is campaign reform with total taxpayer financing of political campaigns. All lobbying must be totally banned.

Michael O, Tough Choices, Halozcel, Mike and Gary:

Wow! I totally disagree with most everything you say.

Michael O says:

“If Israel were not attacked, it would not have to respond.”

The Zionist invader took Palestine from its rightful owners by force with an assist from the world’s super powers. It will soon be taken back by force.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tough Choices says:

“So they stick with cowardly attacks on innocent civilians and then whine that America refuses to weep for them. Pathetic...”

Actually:

1. The Zionist invader is occupying stolen land that it acquired by force, with an assist from the world’s superpowers, and so has no grounds for complaint when it is attacked in return by the displaced native population.

2. Israel continues to increase its illegal acquisition of Palestinian land in the occupied territories in the West Bank and Gaza. It has withdrawn from Gaza (for the moment) but continues to suppress the economy and limit access to vital resources such as water, fuel and electricity.

3. Israel's policy regarding water supply in the West Bank is illegal and discriminates on racial grounds. It flagrantly breaches international law which requires Israel to ensure proper living conditions for the occupied population and to respect the Palestinians' human rights, including the right to receive a sufficient quantity of water to meet their basic needs.”

4. Israel is violating the international law on water since the water resources in the Occupied Territories were integrated into the legal and bureaucratic system of Israel, severely limiting the ability of Palestinians to develop those resources…

5. Israel’s use of groundwater of the Occupied Territories in the settlements is a breach of article 55 of the Hague Regulations.

6. Israel is in breach of Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 which prohibits an occupying state from discriminating between residents of occupied territory; since the quantity of water supplied to the settlements is vastly larger than that which is supplied to the Palestinians.

7. Israel is in breach of article 6 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses. Examination of the current division of water between Israel and the Palestinians leads to the conclusion that this division violates Palestinian rights and contravenes international water law.

8. Even Israel’s own human rights organization considers them to be racist, illegal and “discriminates on racial grounds”.

9. Israel hogs 80% of the regions water supply to keep their swimming pools full and lawns green, while leaving the Palestinians less than half the amount considered necessary of minimum health requirements by the WHO and USAID organizations.

10. The Zionist war criminals have killed more than 6 times the number of Palestinian civilians, as Palestinians have killed Israeli civilians.

11. The Zionist war criminals have killed more than 17 times the number of Palestinian children, as Palestinians have killed Israeli children.

12. Your repeated excuses that the Zionists drop leaflets to warn civilian population centers that are about to be bombed back to the stone ages, and apologizes after the fact, are disgusting.

13. Your constant whining that suicide bombers kill women and children, a tiny fraction of the women and children slaughtered by the Zionist war criminal, is disgusting in the extreme.

LPD, Mars, Emmy, How About, KamDog, QualQuan, Jude, Crist, Tariq M, Nicole Walter, Maya and Michael Shingleton:

Wow! What brilliant people, and such attractive names too. I agree 100% with you all. Thanks for your posts.

It’s hard to pick a winner, but I liked:

How about: The United States stays out of other people's business and lets other countries figure out things no their own. It’s our meddling that causes problems in the world, it does not help.

Peace with all nations, alliance with none.

Thanks Maya! You're so right, one does wonder what Bush thinks (ups sorry I forgot he doesn't) when in every speech he talks about spreading America's freedom - for one since when does America hold the patent for freedom - and who says it is their mandate to change anyone's heart and mind would we want America's heart an mind - many maybe don't thank you very much! Especially when they (or rather the current government's policies) call it freedom 'liberating' a country from a brutal dictator they used to support in the first place and then pat themselves on the back 'we have hunted him down' - what good did it do it created more bloodshed predictably publicising it.It would have looked a lot better if they had just done things quietly without harming anyone and actually made things better like helping someone to change things from within, then they would have had a reason to be proud, instead of making so much noise and failing. By liberating they have 'imprisoned' Iraqis for generations to come, those poor kids who are not only suffering now in this war but years to come psychologically, families destroyed and brutalised will lead to more 'lunatics' brutalising others. How dare America try to make out it did good in the name of freedom!!?? How dare the 'West' get all upset when one American dies in some disaster or whatever and then everyone goes on forever how the poor family is suffering but they do not blink an eye killing the parents of children elsewhere! How dare they put more value on one life than another! How dare they actually recruit many poor Americans into the army and send them to Iraq as they don't have a choice! The fuss they make out of September 11th reading out each name who died in an accident - they were not heroes but victims of an attack - let the families grieve its a personal matter, yes it was terrible but if you have to highlight people in the US who died than do the same for every person who died in the war in Afghanistan in this case! I think you get my gist! It is again all being done for political reasons....move on there is a now and future lets sort out how we can make peace and learn from the past - memorials and all of that looking back have obviously not helped, wars are still being fought. Get to the root cause of the problem! And yes you're so right whether it is India, Africa or Europe we all learn something from each other and think well that looks like a good idea but adapt it locally or think well that is crap not doing that and there is no need to follow anyone - do your own thing. I have Indian friends and India has so much to offer in many respects and yet there are some things in India, which I would not agree with like the caste system for example, but I would not condemn India for it as a whole and it us up to the people to change them and if they don't well that's their prerogative. (I also don't condemn America as a whole but those who meddle in the affairs of others and do harm by doing so) By the way I love Africa or rather the countries which I have lived in and again it is a much misunderstood continent in general. But power games abound there as well not least because they learned them from the West... colonialism from which India has also suffered! Anyways, lets hope that we all manage to apply some common sense and general unconditional love to the world and each other and peace an be achieved.....if not I would go for an island where we give out visas not based on nationalities but on character and create a new country with fun, loving, considerate people with common sense - the latter goes a long way :-) with one common goal - lets chill and be happy!

here we go.another its all the jews fault flea bag.

Wow another Bush-bashing pundit! What a surprise!

Although the term military industrial complex (MIC) has its roots in the UK and France in the 1890s, President Dwight D. Eisenhower highlighted its dangers in his farewell speech in 1961. There is no question, the US is creating war for the sake of war. The good news is the ineptness of the Bush-Cheney-Iraq debacle and their obvious profiteering has caught the attention of the apathetic American people and the pendulum may begin to swing toward recognizing peace dividends spend the same as the spoils of B-1 bombers and cruise missles. While there is finger-pointing concerning Iraq and other foreign policy snafus between Democrats and Republicans, the fact remains both sides of the aisle and the executive branch have been bought and sold by the MIC. My litmus test for the next President is how strong the tie is with the MIC. Of all the candidates with a chance to win (Ron Paul, Edwards aside) that person is Barack Obama.

On the issue of fairness...

I can read between the lines... Anwer Sher is being politically correct. The MIC makes more money waging war. Is attacking defenseless countries with 500 bunker penetrating bombs fair? Is attempting to democratize countries who have never known anything but democracy fair? Is continuing to drive around in a technology invented in 1888 fair?

As long as we have leaders that embrace even a scintilla of the superstition that "God" sees the Judeo-Christian alliance against Islam as the fulfillment of some man written scripture, the creation of the Palestinian state will never happen. This is not a commercial for Obama, but again... his name, his color, his philosophy, (yes, his gender) may allow for this to happen. Once the world (including the Jews) buy (for example) the notion that the piles of money (passenger jets vs. bombers) to be gleaned from a peaceful Palestine and an open Jurusalem this deal could get done overnight.

"We wish for someone who will act on world affairs based on reason and fact, not emotion and conjecture, to bring to the forefront the values of fairness that are expected within American societies. There is no doubt that America is a great nation, with some of the finest values of freedom of speech and the rule of law, but its leadership seems to have forgotten these values and these need to be rekindled into the body politic of the nation." Come on Anwer, tell it like it is. Abu Gharab, Gitmo, torture, elimination of Habeas Corpus, illegal wire tapping, the US makes Stalin-Russia look like Athens. "It is this that will win the hearts and minds of the people around the world. Asking for democracy in Iraq and and Pakistan is indeed a bold statement, but to ignore China's violations of human rights especially with respect to Tibet, or to take the pressure off of Burma, all show that its current leadership seeks selective democracy."

I will never forgive or forget how Bozo-Bill Clinton gave China favored nation economic status ($10 trillion deal) without demanding Tibet be given back to the Dahli Lama. What was he thinking? If I were president, I would stop all trade with China, initiate a complete boycott and demand they get out of Tibet. Period.

"The world ahead of us needs understanding, not an ‘us and them’ approach. American leaders need to become the 'we', with a true worldly view. At the start of this long road to the White House, which of you will embrace this vision, and more importantly which will carry it into your term of office? The world is watching."

Obama maybe the savior. He reminds me of Bobby Kennedy. I pray the comparison ends with the similarity of their charisma. This guy could make a difference.

Nicole Walter i love you woman.
I thought freedom of thought and speech was allowed but i suppose all the power hungry sorts don't approve of it..you should see in detail the stuff that happens in India.There is so much darkness that it affects the youth.I wish i could live in Africa or on some island away from all this.I wish the world was like Gods must be crazy part one and two.

I think i completely stand by what is said here..This is such a lovely balance of words.
America needs to understand that true power only comes with humility and love.If it helps others with love and without expecting people to put it on a pedestal then it wont loose its glow instead it will be loved and admired and will grow much more but its sad that people understand these things only once they have lost most of the world they were trying to clutch in their fists..where will we take it all? sab raakh ho jata hai..but the obsession which is so pointless is never curbed.
i think the world should stop behaving like little children and trying so hard to ape the west or the eat..its like America is the rich kid on the block and has it all and so everyone wants to be friends with him just bec of this..Its all so silly.
America has so much more to it..America has HOT DOGS, Star wars ,Steven Spielberg , AMERICA HAS MICHAEL JACKSON who may be condemned bec of all the things he may have done or not but one has to admit he is one of the most fantastic performers in the world,such fantastic actors,people like Opera Winfrey ,Casinos, Glamour, the works - which they have earned,liberty and so much freedom of thought and speech which is not just a show piece but is used to the hilt and a whole lot of other stuff that the world should try to learn from and get inspired from but not ape and follow them like pygmies..I mean every country is beautiful and it has good or bad but every country has to be original and understand that it has its unique points and should focus on being itself and understanding that it has to be content and not getting so desperate to compete and ass lick that it breaks its back bone..why is world peace such a difficult idea?i don't believe its unrealistic at all.
Anwer,i loved your article.Please keep writing with this honesty.you are super cool man.

Wouldn't that be great a reasonable leadership in the US! Couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, and sorry if I sound a bit cynical but the world and America in particular is driven by capitalism. The current leaders are supported by the worst in the same...namely weapon producers. And lets not fool ourselves wars make money - for them they have to get rid off the old ones to make way for new ones and the cycle continues. The added bonus that a country has to be built up again by someone and guess whom...with other words I would vote only for someone who has some 'ethical' money behind them during the campaign. Really that whole system should be replaced by real independent candidates. Freedom of speech exists only as long as it doesn't touch those in power who don't like it - including the US. With other words it doesn't really exist neither does democracy in its purest form. Secondly, America is addicted into a us versus them, very unhealthy. Western 'Democracies' are based on keeping control over its people via consumerism and fear - so an enemy will be created when there is none. If not the population may just do what they really want (fear the elite). The worst problem really is that all that is happening , whether US or elsewhere, is that it is simply humans being humans. One can't just blame the leadership as unfortunately a large proportion humans run around like zombies having to belong to something whether it is a country, political party, religious or other beliefs, social network etc. to feel secure as they are not secure in themselves. Insecurities at all levels whether interpersonal, inter-countries etc. create a lot of behaviour, called protectionism by many in defense, which can hurt others. Change that change the world. At the end we are all the same and should live in harmony and respect each other, let each other be...am not saying live in anarchy unfortunately some rules are needed as many as said don't have the consciousness to behave fairly with another, but hey lets not fool ourselves either into believing the US or UK are sooooo democratic and the rest of the world isn't. And have the right to interfere elsewhere. They only do so when economic interests are at heart in any case...not usually for the good of the people. Something else, as people are not ready in some countries less or more than others - more rights to the people has to brought about with care, education etc. let those countries evolve in their own time! They may need a dictator benevolent preferably to slowly introduce changes...who is to judge! Only the people of the country itself no one else! Want to get involved? Do it without a personal agenda, really get into the country's mind and work from within with the people of that country - work with them not against them if you think you have something to offer! This is something America and other countries, sorry, have not done up to now! It is always agenda based..they have oil, gas, diamonds the list goes one - a horrible dictator well lets support him as long as he plays our game! I really hope whoever becomes President next is not tries to be as neutral as possible and put their own agendas and beliefs by the wayside - not an easy and enviable task but at least try if you put yourself in that situation! Celebrate differences, share them and enrich the world!

what is a Green Shored Two Antennas
on board of an "made of beams of wood" Ship, a sailor with universal values, virtues and awareness, sailing forward in the Sea, on land?

then, you shall have equal attention and exact language to comprehend with. (one clue: pituatory hypophysis gland is space and awareness)

America needs to be seen as a leader of the democratic world, not supporting tinpot military dictators like Musharraf or Hosni. The Bush era has only brought the world to the brink of disaster, where use of excessive force has created more problems than it has resolved. The world wants to see America as a country, which does not pay mere lip service for promotion of democracy, but is perceived to be doing so. Wars do not resolve issues, but should only be fought as a last resort. America's deadly assault on Iraq was as needless as its war in Vietnam. While it is understandable that American economic interests play a lead role in its foreign policy, its overenthusiasm to secure all the world's oil reserves has landed it in a problem, where oil companies have made trillions, while the state economy has suffered.

America needs to be seen as a leader of the democratic world, not supporting tinpot military dictators like Musharraf or Hosni. The Bush era has only brought the world to the brink of disaster, where use of excessive force has created more problems than it has resolved. The world wants to see America as a country, which does not pay mere lip service for promotion of democracy, but is perceived to be doing so. Wars do not resolve issues, but should only be fought as a last resort. America's deadly assault on Iraq was as needless as its war in Vietnam. While it is understandable that American economic interests play a lead role in its foreign policy, its overenthusiasm to secure all the world's oil reserves has landed it in a problem, where oil companies have made trillions, while the state economy has suffered.

Ron Paul has the right idea it is time for Americans to stop trying to be the policeman of the world. We have spend more money and lives than all of the Nations of the world combined. In most cases trying to right a wrong or protecting our selfs.It is time to withdrew or troops and put them on Americans borders protecting us from the largest invasion in world history. Stop all foreign aid let the rest of the world take care of their own problems. Maybe after a few years of that maybe instead of being the worlds bad boys they may welcome our help and foreign aid.

n Spite of the soaring rhetoric and promises from our Presidential Candidates this Nation faces it most perilous times since WWII. Most of the Candidates are refusing to recognize or address problems that in time will destroy this nation!

We have an arrogant, incompetent, illiterate, and inept fool in the White House, a demoralized and decimated military, plundered treasury, trashed world standing, trampled rule of Law and Constitution. While the nation is sinking under an tidal wave of Uneducated Illegal Aliens waving the Mexican flag, demanding their rights, while feasting at the trough of Public Welfare, as they Kill, Rob, and Rape thousands of American Citizens each year. .

We as a nation can survive fools in our White House. What we CANNOT survive is fools both in our Congress and white house like Bush, McCain, Hillary, Obama, Kennedy, Reid, etc. & now they want to be President! Each promising a new American, rebuilding the middle class and taking care of the poor. But what they refuse to acknowledge or recognize is no single Nation or people is rich enough to lift the 100,s of millions of poor out of poverty. In others words American & American taxpayers cannot bear the cost of becoming the welfare state for Mexico and Latin American. To attempt to do so will only reduce all Americans to poverty equaling what the uneducated invaders are fleeing from in their home countries. The poor and criminals pouring across our Borders have an average of an six grade education. Each person with less than a high education is a net cost of 20k per year for American taxpayers. This applies to American citizens as well as the millions of Illegal Aliens. So the displaced compassion endorsed by Edwards, Obama, McCain, Hillary etc. is deeply flawed. Failure to close our border or to give Amnesty to the 12 to 30 millions of Illegal Aliens in this country will in the long run, with the Chain Immigration result in adding 100 to 160 millions poor citizens to our welfare rolls. Their high school drop out rates exceed 50 percent with a high crime rate and a very high illegitimate birth rate, the very combination that keeps Mexico & Latin American a cesspool of poverty & misery!

Maybe the results is what the multinational companies and the rich dream of, a Nation full of poor docile labors like China, India, Mexico so the rich can live like the kings of old and the rest can live like the peons in Mexico that are pouring across our borders, but I do not believe it is the future most Americans aspire to for their children and grand children!

In all, my country, a potential benefactor and beacon for all the world - is headed right off a cliff and to an third world status!

If the Politicians with the Citizens support, decide they must do more for the worlds poor then they must find a way like an Marshall plan for Latin American. What they must not be allowed to do, though flawed logic or by criminal intent is to turn this Nation into a Cesspool of Crime, Corruption, Poverty, and Misery by continuing the open borders policy and Amnesty for the millions pouring across our borders.

In my view - and in the view of many educated thinking Americans - this has all come to pass because the Politicians, the elected and sworn stewards of this country, have allowed it to happen. Surely they should have known better…when they refused to abide by the Constitution against invasion or enforce our laws they disgraced their oath of office. One way this Nation can start to recover is for the lot of them to be gone from those hallowed halls of Congress and the White House, because most of them have become a house of party-bound prostitutes paid by the special interests, swirling and partying, amidst the rubble of their own malfeasance - taking this Nation right down with them.

As a proud and concerned American that proudly served my Country in time of War as did my Father, my two brothers and my son. I am appalled and very angry at what self severing, stupid/corrupt politicians have done to my country!

Mr Sher:
Thank you for a balanced article. Unfortunately countries are seldom consciously moved more by morality than money... America being no exception. Hence pleading for fairness seldom works.
However recent American actions are so economically self destructive that they cannot continue much longer. The signs are abundant, witness the self immolation of the Republican Party.
I have always marveled that so few understand that fairness is more a material rather than a moral imperative. IOW fairness is necessary (though not sufficient) for long term MATERIAL success. Unfair societies eventually self destruct.

Time for us to reign in our commitments. There are some true allies in the world, countries whos people who will go into harms way to help an American in need. The same way Americans have and would go into harm's way to help out their people. Canada, Australia and England come to mind. There are others too. These friends and allies deserve our closest cooperation.

The rest of the countries should get nothing from the citizens of the US. We should stop paying to keep our troops there. We should stop giving them any special considerations that we don't give to most everyone else. We should get out of Iraq, and if Iran goes ahead and develops a bomb, we should let those people most at risk worry about it.

We need to take care of ourselves now; no other country in the world will have a Marshall plan for us if we ever need one, and it doesn't pay to help out countries who have had natural disasters if all we get is a poke in the eye for it.

The united states stays out of other people's business and lets other countries figure out things no their own. Its our meddling that causes problems in the world, it does not help.

Peace with all nations, alliance with none.

Mr. Sher:

It's easy to say that both sides need to take a hard look at their own actions and seek moderation. If you read any of Israel's mainstream press, most of which is available in English translation, you would see that the Israelis are constantly engaged in this type of wrenching self-examination. That cannot be said of the other side.

Just because innocent people die on both sides does not mean this is a case of instant moral equivalence. Israelis who are found to have deliberately killed Palestinian civilians are put on trial and their actions are widely condemned in Israel. Palestinians who deliberately kill Israeli civilians are glorified as martyrs, their posters are pasted on every street corner and little children look up to them as role models.

In a situation where one side is constantly attacking and the other side is constantly defending, the attacking side has the option to bring the fight to an end at any time. The defending side does not have that option. If he stops fighting, he dies. However, it is understandable that an onlooker from the distant sidelines would only see two sides fighting and would say "They both need to stop".

Americans are voting for the President of the USA, not leader of the world!

As a European I do not appreciate a foreign politician imposing him/herself as MY commander in chief!

America is verging on bankruptsy, I would like to see the American people have a president who represented their best interests, restored the constitution by shelving the Nazi style laws such as the Patriot Act, stopped allowing the CIA to kidnap people off the worlds streets for rendition, close all foreign military bases and protect your own country, stop wasting money on foreign aid. Your going broke.

Take care of your own people and the rest of the world will be encouraged to follow.

International government does not work. It incites hatred and terrorism. Dictators and wannabe dictators love international nose poking and beauracracy as it rewards and protects corruption.

Constitutionally, the only obligation the US government have is to its citizens. US Government meddling in the affairs of other sovereign nations is the problem. You do not have to be involved in internal politics of another country to have commercial and cultural exchange.

Anthropologically, people evolve through friendly interaction. Compelling a culture to adopt American qualitative attributes or values only cause resentment. Human rights abuses are a deplorable to say the least, however, demanding the abuser at gunpoint to change his or her ways does not have a lasting affect. It may stop the abuses in the short term, but the possibility for more abuse still awaits in the shadows.

Human rights is an arbitrary value for some cultures. In advanced civilizations this value means a lot, in others it don't. The rub is to tutor the latter in seeing that loving ones neighbor as yourself is the right thing to do.

Do not fault the US for behaviors of irreproachable nations. The US government does not have supernatural powers to change hearts with a wave of a magic wand.

Very good article. Very rarely does one come across any articles today that are balanced.

I fully agree that it is not in the long term interests of the US or the rest of the world to preach about democracy on one hand and ignore atrocities and human rights abuses in 'ally' countries on the other hand.

We need more articles like this one!

Nowhere am I suggesting that suicide bombings are right. The message is for the American candidates, and in fairness, if its possible for some, Israel is not entirely innocent in how it has treated some Palestinians. If we want peace then both the Palestinians and the Israelis need to take a hard look at their own actions and seek moderation. To say that none of Israel's actions were excessive or targeted against civilians would be naive. There is ample record of Human Right violations, from both sides of this horrible and sad conflict.

I am a man of peace, and I do feel Arabs also need to wake up and take all measures for peace, but please lets be clear, we need fairness and balance from all parties. This is the debt we owe to the future generations, and for this I have asked the candidates to consider true statesmen leadership.

USA will solve your problems.
USA will protect your countries.
USA will feed your hunger people.
USA will do,do and do everything.
In that case,what will you do except criticising USA.

It would be a lot easier to "condemn the Israeli aggression with the same tone as Palestinian suicide bombers are condemned" if the two actions were even remotely similar. But they are not. Israel's actions are taken by its clearly identified military against the most identifiable military targets possible in defense of its civilian population and in response to an attack by Palestinian terrorists who often disguise their appearance (i.e., we are not talking about solider-to-soldier warfare but the specific targeting by the Palestinians of Israeli civilians to deliberately cause the most death and destruction possible). If the Palestinians restricted themselves to attacking ONLY Israeli military units they might stand a chance of gaining greater US sympathy (but of course then they'd be even more soundly defeated/thwarted than they are now due to the military superiority of Israel's soldiers). So they stick with cowardly attacks on innocent civilians and then whine that America refuses to weep for them. Pathetic!

What you call "Israeli aggression" is a response to the suicide bombings and other attacks on Israel. If Israel were not attacked, it would not have to respond. Equally condemning the attacker and the attacked is not "being balanced".