Here is a partial plan, Kevin. I could think of many more. This is my last e-mail on the subject, because I don't intend to change your mind, I intend to show you that a one-track ideology grossly underestimates the complexity of the middle east.

The first thing I would do is re-evaluate ties with Saudi Arabia. Did you know that in the past two decades, U.S. construction companies and arms suppliers have made over $50 billion in Saudi Arabia? Over 30,000 U.S. citizens are employed by Saudi corporations, or by joint Saudi-U.S. corporate partnerships. And we currently have 15,000 troops in a country that Muslims deem their holy land. Did you know that Abu Zubaydah, the mastermind behind the USS Cole bombing and one of the chief operations officers for Al-Qaeda, when he was being interrogated by the CIA, told agents, posing as Saudi officers, that Prince Ahmed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz would get him out of trouble (giving them the Prince's private telephone number!), claiming that the Prince had prior knowledge of the 9-11 attacks? Yes, Prince Ahmed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz is closely related to Prince Bandar, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, who coincidentally has gone on hunting trips to Europe with James Baker and George Bush, Sr.

Secondly, I would revive the peace plan talks between Israel and Palestine. I would work with other countries to establish a Palestinian state and I would definitely stop unconditionally supporting the conservative Sharon regime, who by the way is in violation of many UN resolutions, just like Saddam Hussein. Millions of moderate and progressive Muslims who truly denounce terrorism are frustrated by our relationship with Israel, financed by more than $3 billion in annual subsidies. Think about that.

The launching of military strikes does NOTHING to suppress terrorism, and only erodes American credibility in the Muslim world. When Bush said that we have to recapture the hearts and minds of muslims in the middle east, perhaps he didn't understand that bombing civilians wouldn't do that for us.