I find it interesting and entertaining to listen to peoples thoughts and opinions, even when I don't agree with them. Hell sometimes that's more fun. Usually I just nod politely, utter a few comments they want to hear to reinforce their demented thoughts and let them walk away thinking what a nice agreeable chap I am and how they should invite me to the next meeting with the Grand Wizard or the Queen Alien. Some repair guy today came into our office to repair our fax machine and I helped him carry it's worn carcass out to his car. He found it necessary to mention that he was in the Army Reserves and might get called up soon. A prospect that I find sad and most certainly wish him the best of luck. He continued telling me that his unit specializes in something that only 3 other units do, he declined to mention what that was other than "oh we do lots of things, right now one unit is directing traffic in the desert in Iraq so convoys don't get lost." Hmm I thought to myself, a specialty in doing lots of things. I let that one go and let him continue telling me that he doesn't mind going there, he did two tours of duty in Vietnam, one in the first Gulf War and Bosnia. But more importantly because he hopes that Bush gets reelected so that they can finish the job otherwise some other president will change things and get this, "we will be the laughing stock of the world, because right now they know we mean business and no one else was going to step up and do anything."

Being the expert at deception that I am, I was able to hear all this without conveying my sense of shock and disbelief. Other than the fact that Bush plans to withdraw our major presence by the end of June, well before the election and thus making that point moot. He actually believes that what we did with Iraq was right and worth the dangers our troops face. And he must also believe that somehow in less than one year democracy will take root and flourish in Iraq.

He certainly isn't insane or anything like that, he just has an opinion and world view that is different than mine. And that is what I really got out of it, aside from being afraid that more people think like that. It is helpful to know what other people think even if it differs from what we think. We have to live and work with people who we may not like or trust or agree with, but it's that basic ability to get along and move past those things that keeps us from slipping into some chaotic barbarous state.