An impossible goal...

The entire Bush foreign policy seems to rely on the so-called “domino” theory, which holds that Iranians will rise up and overthrow their tyrannical government once the people of Iran see first hand how wonderful “freedom” is in their newly liberated neighbor.

If the Iranians don't overthrow their leaders, those leaders will have become exponentially more powerful after they takeover Iraq and its natural resources.

One problem is that human nature is not to work together cooperatively with people you don't particularly like. See this column for a wonderful illustration of this concept.

Another problem is that most people do not prefer to live freely. Most people are willing, and in many cases probably prefer, to live under a tyrannical government.

One need only look at the current state of affairs in America. Most Americans are under the false impression that we are a free people, simply because we are permitted to speak our minds or attend the church of our choosing.

I believe that we are very much less of a free society under this government than our colonist forefathers were under the British King. Yet, while they were willing to buy their freedom with their own blood, very few Americans would be so-willing to do so today.

If Americans are unwilling to bear the sacrifices necessary to secure our own liberties, how can we reasonably expect people who have no similar foundation of individual liberty as we have to rise up and overthrow their government?