What has been done, what we have accepted, in the name of Mr. Bush's War Upon Terror, will not easily be undone, and its effects will remain long after this venal vindictive and cowardly man, who with a preponderance of unwarranted pride has set himself without the Constitution's Rule, and has waged unjust war against a multitude of innocents, has forced shameful degradations upon those who once were our friends. Yet still, America's real enemy, those responsible for the attacks on September 11, 2001, live and breathe, and use these unconscionable actions, which were done in our name, to increase their numbers.

An excerpt of a current discourse from one whose experiences gives him the ability to perceive the damage done; the damage continuing to be done:

Aquol dot com - March 29, 2007
The Madness of King George & The Terror of the Fearful Jacobin Republic
The Lounsbury

An anectdotal reflexion on recent MENA anti-American developments prompted by a somewhat amusing discussion with an American financial sector consulting friend of mine about his recent work in the Middle East and the "shocking" levels of anti-American sentiment as compared to only 3 or 4 years ago. This fellow, of a conservative East Coast background nevertheless has had enough of in region experience prior to the Right Bolshevik Coup to have seen the precipitious decline in American image in region (and elsewhere of course).

What I found interesting was his recitation of leading and very connected American educated financial sector (most of whom I know more or less well) figures whose views had shifted from pro-American to anti, reflecting various levels of frustration. What was most peculiar in this conversation was that I cannot recall a similarly structured one - that is veering off from business to American politics.

[. . .]

Another anecdote from a Moroccan friend (from the financial sector, and not a schmoe) traveling to the US on business, and who had to do a visa renewal recently. Although American educated, and indeed one of the most pro-American Arabs I know, he spoke with great bitterness about being body frisked in full view on the street in front of the consulate - as he put it "like a thieving slave in front of the Masters."

I know UK, and other embassies tightened security after 11 March, however none (that I know of) resorted to the public humiliation that the Americans resorted to - and having seen the US facility relatively recently I am of the opinion that no rational cost-benefit risk analysis should have led to such a procedure.

What indeed is helpful in public humiliation? There may have been a small risk reduction, although (rather even) a bit back when I last visited the US facility there, their double blast walls and screening facilities seemed rather sufficient to limit human bomber losses to some local-rent-a-cops and police. PR? Even worse. Oddly literally no one else (and here I include the entire region) requires such behaviour - that is such outré security even among the staggeringly unpopular.

My profession requires an intelligent approach to risk taking. I find the current blundering bizarre insofar as it most clearly is not reducing risk at all.

• A people who believe that human rights are a citizen's gift from a magnanimous state will never be free.
• A system which has different standards of applicability, based solely upon citizenry, can never be just.
• An American future in which our leviathan is not once again muzzled and chained; that in our understandable vengefulness after 911, was set free to predate upon the earth as mad wolf amongst the sheep, will never experience peace.

Proverbs 30:32,33
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself,
or if thou hast thought evil,
lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter,
and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood:
so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.