Doom and Gloom. But at least it's short.

It merely remains to be seen whether Bush's policies in the Middle East are disastrous, or whether they will rise to the level of catastrophic. The religious war he ignited in Iraq is spinning out of control. Ignoring history, Israel seems convinced that overwhelming force will break the spirit of the Palestinians. Iran, along with North Korea, is becoming more belligerent, correctly assessing just how helpless the Bush administration has left the country. The lines are being drawn: the religious in this country are staking their claim to our history and our country, the religious in Muslim countries are becoming more cohesive and more violent. It makes no difference that the majorities of their respective religions preach nonviolence, violence is justified and encouraged by all of the Abrahamic religions. For those of us who feel like they've been born centuries before their time (like being born in the Dark Ages, or, as it used to be called before Right-wing political correctness, the Age of Faith), it is exceedingly distressing to see the birds of war gathering. When the major religions renew their slaughter, atheists are on everybody's enemies list.