The Middle East is a war zone. The region is drenched in conflict and the threat of conflict. According to the Bush administration, the evildoers Syria and Iran and their proxies in Iraq and in Lebanon are the "root cause" of the violence. It's a relief to learn that the massive U.S. naval, air, and ground forces in and ringing the region are not a factor. And anyway, the White House adds, relying on the old standby, they hate us because of our freedom. Maybe the president didn't see the Pentagon advisory panel report issued last year which said, "Muslims do not hate our freedom but rather they hate our policies," adding "when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy."

Noam Chomsky, internationally renowned MIT professor, practically invented modern linguistics. In addition to his pioneering work in that field he has been a leading voice for peace and social justice. He is in huge demand as a public speaker all over the world. The New York Times calls him, "a global phenomenon, perhaps the most widely read voice on foreign policy on the planet." Author of scores of books, his latest are Failed States and the bestseller Imperial Ambitions.