For the past couple of days, I've spent a lot of time thinking about what's going on right now in our country and the world. I'm so disturbed by this ridiculous Iraq Study Group report and the ever-increasing consensus among Americans that defeat in Iraq is inevitable and our only hope is to try and cut our losses and get out of there as soon as we can. I'm amazed that so many people in this country don't seem to understand what's going on. I can actually understand why average Americans, going about their daily business, not really paying attention to the news, wouldn't want to go to war with Iran. I get that. But people in Washington who are in a position to make decisions that affect the course of our nation's future - what is going on up there? My mind is literally blown, and yet numb at the same time.

The only conclusion that I can reach is that we are a nation beset by spiritual blindness. The reason that we seem to be abandoning Israel is because it was foretold that we would do so. The Bible clearly predicts that she will be alone in the end. I've always found it so hard to imagine the US not sticking by her, but isn't that exactly what Mr. Baker is proposing in this report? What exactly is he expecting to accomplish by having Israel give up the Golan Heights? Are we honestly assigning blame to Israel over the situation in Iraq? Last I checked, they aren't involved. And how interesting that Mr. Baker doesn't want to invite Israel to the regional conference. That is scary, scary stuff.

As usual, Joel Rosenberg discussed this quite eloquently this morning, so I highly recommend clicking on the link to his blog and reading his observations.

What is the most disturbing to me of anything is that this "defeat" in Iraq was caused by Americans. We have defeated ourselves. If our national media hadn't done everything that it could to turn Americans against our efforts there, had reported all of the positive things such as schools, power lines, water and electricity reaching places it hadn't been for decades, if ever, the fact that Iraqi citizens don't want us to leave and are terrified of what will happen if we do, along with many other things they could have been reporting instead of the death count that they are always so eager to update, we would be in a completely different place right now. So many people in this country have seemingly forgotten what happened here on 9/11, not realizing that it is precisely our military efforts at home and abroad that have kept another attack from coming our way. So many politicians have used Iraq as an issue to be won rather than a very real war that we are engaged in. They should be held accountable for doing everything they can to divide this country rather than fight our real enemies.

On Tuesday, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned the West that any nation who tries in any way to stop Iran's pursuit of a nuclear program will be considered hostile, and that Iran would "reconsider its relations" with that country. Subtle threat? I think not.

If I sound hopeless, I'm sorry for the downer. It would definitely be easier not to pay attention to what is going on out there. But Ahmadinejad is gaining encouragement on a daily basis from the wacked out policy coming out of this nation and those of our allies. One exception is that of John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia. That guy is amazing. I wish he would remind GW and Tony Blair that it's okay to talk tough and be tough when dealing with your enemies. Any concession will be seen as weakness. Consider how the animal kingdom deals with weakness. Does a cheetah avoid the struggling gazelle because it feels sorry for it? Does it appreciate that the gazelle just wants to get along? Or does it go in for the ruthless kill?

Our radical Islamic enemies will only be satisfied when everyone on the face of the planet either converts to Islam or dies. They really don't have a preference. They are totally invested in our defeat. And sadly, it appears, so are we.