[CaptainHaplo]

Thank you Aramike, and I would say the same.

Buddahaid, yes we helped backed Saddam at one point. Thats fact, but it doesn't change a thing. Everybody makes mistakes. We had slavery at one point too. So somehow the errors of those before us somehow should mean that we, who were not responsible for the error, still must shoulder the blame?

If one were to take your argument seriously, you could claim that any living american today is responsible for the entire current mess of the middle east, because the US was a part of helping to create israel, because we helped keep afghanistan free from the soviets, because we didn't support the Shah in Iran in what - 73 I think it was - as well as supporting guys like saddam 40 or so years back.

I don't know if your from the US, or how old you are, but if your from the US, go ask a high schooler or college kid about how responsible they feel for that whole mess. While your at it, ask them how they are going to repay the debts of slavery, the losses in life and property to the British Crown due to the war of Independance, etc etc etc. While we are at it, ask them when they are going to give the american indians their country back...

*BTW - I don't use the term Native American - because I am one - I was born in the US and thus am a "NATIVE" and an American. Blasted PC Culture be damned!

At some point you have to stop wringing your hands over the past and move forward. Be responsible for your own actions, thats often enough a challenge for most people.