No one, least of all an American, wants to admit their government is a totalitarian state. I was raised to believe in the rights of free men and women to determine their own destiny, whether it is as a citizen capable of changing unjust legislation through voting, or collectively, as a nation.
   By going along with Sharon's government in calling Arafat irrelevant, the US administration has lost its own legitimacy as a peace broker, and as an arm of democracy. President Bush, while calling for democratic elections in Palestine, has refused to accept their probable outcome.
  By arbitrating a totalitarian wish against the will of an entire people, the US has not only denied the Palestinian people due process, but compromised the principles of democracy. We have in essence, shown that we do not believe in democracy for anyone else but ourselves.
  The US has now extended its view of terrorists to include anyone protecting their homes from a brutal occupying force. No doubt we will soon find that an entire generation of young, angry Arab men will attack any and all US interests both in the Middle East, and the states.
  My feeling? At gut level, I too, am angry, seeing my country arrogantly preempting hostilities, often in places where none existed before. Or, worse, watching the US junta exasperating the anger of people who might otherwise have changed their views had they seen the Americans fight back against terrorism, in a just manner.
  After the attack against America, Iranians responded with words of sympathy, and spontaneously observed candlelight vigils for the fallen Americans. But does anyone honestly think they were with us after Bush lumped them all into his Axis of Evil equation?
  Now by attempting to force our will on the Palestinian people, we have lost their respect. My view? The Arab heads of state, having had enough of US hypocrisy in the region, should place an embargo against the US and give us a bit of our own medicine.
  But wait a minute, such leaders in the Arab world are the most anti-democratic bunch on earth. They could set the US straight, but they're too invested in American banks, and arms to care about their own people, let alone their Palestinian brothers.
  What was I thinking?