Religions don't kill people - guns kill people.

I just got back from Egypt, Jordan and Dubai and I can tell you that America's got one hell of a mess on its hands.

After backing one crooked bunch of sleazebags after another in the defense of "American interests," which generally turned out to be big oil companies, we're seeing a genuine desire for political freedom in danger of slipping out of control due to our snail-like acceptance of what should be our instinctive desire to advance liberty and self-determination.

To its credit, the Obama administration has been making appropriate noises to Hosni Mubarek, saying in effect that what we've approved of for almost thirty years is no longer nice and it would be better from him to listen to the people for a change. This is after our history of lauding Egypt's  King Farouk and his heavy-handed rule along with Iran's Shah and his secret police in exchange for carte-blanche treatment of petroleum firms and luxury living for corporate executives.

On top of this, despite cash transfusions of eight billion dollars a year of Americantaxpayers' money and Israel's repeated violations of U.N. directives, we've been getting the old thumb in the eye as Israel does whatever it pleases in Gaza. In the minds of many in the Middle East, the U.S. and Israel are the same thing. This isn't doing us any good in the region, althought it may be of great help in Florida and New York elections.

Naturally, both Israel and the Arab states feel that the land they want was given to them by God. If we're too stupid to observe our own Constitution (There shall be no law respecting the establishment of religion), then we should be smart enough to realize that every nation must accept the responsibility for its own actions. If we in the United States decide to back a crooked regime in the name of bigger profits for bigger corporations, then we have to be able to bear the responsibility for being looked upon as hypocrites. If Israel decides that any Jew in the world has the right to call Israel home - which is its right to do - then it has to be prepared to defend itself against a billion and a half Muslims who might be annoyed to see more settlements spring up on land they consider to be theirs.

Therefore, while some dimwits in America and elsewhere might be tempted to blame Islam for the bloodshed in the Middle East or Judaism for its expansionist desires, we have to remember that it isn't religions that account for the dead and the maimed - it's the fan clubs of the various religions, using the weapons provided by good business sense and a healthy desire for profit. After all, a cursory reading of the Bible will provide more gore than Fox News and MSNBC combined as thousands are slaughtered in the name of the merciful Diety that runs things. President Bush's ill-advised use of the word "crusade" brought back painful memories of mass murders in the name of Jesus, whom I recall having said something about the meek being blessed. Whether it be producers of crossbows or Uzis, the principle is the same - war means profits.

Religions don't kill people. In the Quran, Mohammed specifically commands respect for Christians and Jews as "people of the Book." Jews reserve a seat at the Seder table for the stranger at the gate and Christians are instructed to love their neighbors as themselves. This makes things hard for the Haters, but they keep trying.

Don't fall for it.