Having completed and mailed in today our new Alabama National Veterans Cemetery Support Committee first federal tax return (I am the Treasurer), belatedly I return to shotgun back some points to several on this thread who spoke about Israel, the Middle East, etc. earlier today.

I think it was MarcT who commented in particular that my remarks about religion (Islam) in terms of mind set/psychology of the Middle Eastern troops/military was mistaken as there are no "Mulsim" armies there. Words to that effect.

With Jimmy Carter's (he still deserves great credit for this in my book, and I am a Republican) Peace Treaty between Israel, Egypt, and Jordan, he/we quieted down two armys which are "essentially" made up of mostly troops of the Muslim faith (Syria,Jordan, and a thrid, now willing to talk "about" Isreal peacefully, Saudi Arabia are in mind), with Egypt having a more secular style of government (Sadat of course later on assassinated) and Jordan having then and now an Islamic Monarchy. ***I was a guest in the Rose Garden audience at the White House signing of the Israel, Egypt, Jordan Peace Accord (or Treaty), courteousy of my distant cousin, Jody Powell, who was Carter's Press Secretary.

Then I recall from earlier today another poster coming down on Israel and castigating President Truman who I personally found to be one of our greatest ever Presidents, exept for Ike, who I liked the most of all our Presidents.

Since 1947 many Arab and other Islamic nations, to include even back then the new nation of Pakistan, opposed the founding by UN Resolution of Israel, together with same Resolution, the founding of a new Palestinian State, which these obstreperous Arab and other Muslim nations flatly rejected and refused to support.

Israel is a brave little nation and a exempliary beacon of democracy, for those who sincerely want to see more democracy in the Middle East, your working example remains one of one, Israel.

I suspect these few remarks will stimulate counter remarks so will shut down for now.