Um, err, well, um.... All i can say is it lightens my heart to see conclusive proof yet again against the popular stereotype of the 'Stupid White Man' (who is not limited ust to America in any sense!). When i say i don't mind being watched, i say it in so far as it isn't actually restrticting me in any sense. It may be misguided, and is certainly something i would seek to immediately repeal were i PM. But as the current situation stands, i'm not going to object too strenuously, because much like in the USA, no-one has gotten in trouble with it yet. And it doesn't appear to have been abused. If it should be obviously abused then i shall be forced to re-evaluate my position. My next point is this: I'm PRO AMERICA!!!!!! I think the USA is great. I don't want my country to be like it, because i want individuality amongst the countries of the world, but if we could all be a bit more like America, and actually worked together to fight (not neccessarily in a literal sense!) for democracy the world would be a much much better place. However, much like you have concerns about us, for example not having a written constitution. My concerns recently were raised by Michael Moore's book Stupid White Men. I am not fool enough toassume that everything he has written is neccessarily the gospel truth. But if even ten percent of it is, then you have some major problems regarding your education and welfare systems, and your military spending. And also Mr George W Bush. Now don't get me wrong. I would not consider myself a 'Bush-basher'. Heck, he seems like a really nice guy. He seems vaguely genuine, which is more than we can say for a lot of European presidents and PM's. But, and i'm not an expert on this, his ascent to power is not convincing. Several years on, i'm still not convinced he actually won the election! However there are so many factors involved in this, and i have so little knowledge of your voting system that i am not prepared to pass judgement on this. I'm simply not qualified. So if the majority of Americans say he's rightfully in power, then i'll just have to accept that. But there is one interesting statistic i read the other day (i know, i know, statistics are often inaccurate, and only one is by no means definitive proof, but...) which was that on September 11th you had almost the whole world's sympathy, certainly 99% of Europeans were sympathetic to you guys. I still am. But apparently, in a recent poll, 77% of Europeans stated that they thought America, well, to be more fair, the American government were the single grgeatest threat to world peace! Now how they forgot about all the countrties currently involved in conflicts around the world i don't know, but to even be near the top of that list, is not a good place to be. I'd quote you my source, but i read so much these days that i honestly can't remember. America is a great country. I love it. You in a sense are our offpring anyway, and that's how i kinda think of you sometimes, our lil brother. I remember during the war, having an opinion that went something like this: America is too young. GB, France and all the others have been around for a long time. And we realised long ago, that violencec generally doesn't work. Hell, look at what happened when we trtied to interferre in America. we got an ass kicking. Now fortunately you guys turned out all right. But look what we've done to any number of our old empire and colonies. Must of them are in a shocking state, and have been for a long time. We've known fo a long time that when a crisis arises, violence tends not to be the way, look at Suez. The problem with America is that they're too young to have had time to learn this lesson the hard way, cos believe you me, it doesn't seem to be possible to learn it the easy way! Now i'm not saying that opinion was right, but there was, and i think still is an impression of America being a bit like the bull in the international china shop. Guys, RELAX (i suppose when i say guys i mean the administration). It doesn't all have to be sorted out straight away. Take your time, don't rush through an act passed in paranoia. Stop. Think. What is this going to mean for your country. Is it really what you need? Is it too harsh? Does it need moderation? In no way have we got it right over here, but i think we're nearer to getting it right. Hell i don't know, we were just as involved in the Gulf as you were. We're crappy too when it comes to sorting out the world. Want to know why? WE'RE NOT GOD!!! I'd love to leave it at that, i dearly would. But i can't. I have one last thing to say. I don't love Ameirca. I don't love the UK. I don't love Europe, or any other party/state/country. What do i love? I love my freedom. Do i feel it's being threatened? At the moment, NO! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DISCLAIMER: I in sense mean to offend with any of these comments. They are merely my own rants concerns and opinions that enter my head when i started writing this post. I did not sit down and plan it out. I merely rambled away. There may be something in there worthwile, there probably isn't. My opinion is my own, i do not speak for anyone else, though there may be echoes of the opinions of others in my post. Once again, no offense is meant.