You know what would probably be really effective at combating Islamic fundamentalism?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

60. Stupid....

You can't engage in diplomacy if you don't engage the other side. And in the twentieth century you can't just bury your head in the sand. Don't know if this has been pointed out to you, but one CAN travel from the mideast to the United States. And they have cable over there, too. So if your thinking is that the Atlantic Ocean is somehow going to protect us from extremists, your thinking is about seventy years out of date.

How to Conduct Diplomacy in the Middle East.

Step 1. Stop killing them. Seriously, when you're trying to build a lasting friendship with another nation, lobbing Predator Drones at their civilians is a really (really) bad way to go about it.

Step 2. Cultivate friends among the Islamic community here in the U.S. We could start by cleansing Armed Forces Radio of the filth that is the Rush Limbaugh program, and any of its third-string imitators. We could also make it clear by having the President and progressive faith leaders make it clear that there is no place for intolerance in our society.

Step 3. Provide support to Islamic organizations in the middle east that agree to be moderate in their foreign policy. That doesn't mean that some middle eastern countries WON'T become Islamic Republics and be governed according to Sharia or some variant thereof, but they WILL agree to peacefully co-exist with any nation that deals fairly with them.

Step 4. Stop using foreign policy as a tool of western corporate interests. All that oil in Iraq? It belongs to the Iraqi's and they may or may not decide to sell some of it to us. That's for them to decide. Hint: Deal fairly with them and chances are they'll be happy to do business with us.

Just a suggestion.