I respect your opinion, brother, so please allow me to explain why I called McCain a warmonger. (I've gone over this ground many times with dear Brother Parrish!)

I know, like any American, that the Islamic terrorists are out to destroy us, and must be fought tooth and nail. I'm not a pacifist; I believe, when you need to fight, you hit 'em as hard as you can. We haven't done that since WWII, but that's the way it's supposed to be done. If I thought we could end the Islamic threat by nuking Mecca, I'd be all for it.

But I think Bush's "war on terror" has been a gimmick and a lie. Yes, he's prevented another 9/11, for which I give him due credit. But he's selective in his idea of "terrorists." The 9/11 guys came from Saudi Arabia, but Bush would curl up his toes nd die before he'd cross the Saudis. And he wholeheartedly supports the creation of a Palestinian state, which would be a genuine terrorist state. To me, such actions and inactions are not characteristic of a "war on terror," but a "war on terrorists I don't like."

McCain is not a bad man. I respect him, as a man. But it seems to me that, for one reason or another, he views wars (such as a possible war with Iran) as a first option, not the last option. I do not believe in the Bush doctrine of "pre-emptive war," and I fear that McCain does believe in it. (I hope I'm wrong, because I expect him to be elected!) America has fought righteously in the past when we've fought against those who attacked us first.

Which would include Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, but not Iraq; and, so far, not Iran. I think the Iraq war is misguided and not in keeping with our best traditions; but I don't think we can turn tail and run, as we did in Vietnam. As I say, I'm not a fool or a pacifist.

I know that Iran is, or may become, a nuclear threat; and I believe we should support Israel 100% if they decide to take Iran out. (For them, it would be a defensive war.) In fact, I think we should pretty much give Israel a blank check, in aid and military equipment; but not troops, which they don't need, and which we shouldn't send. To me, the welfare of Israel is the single most important issue in the political spectrum.

A man who believes in pre-emptive wars is, in my opinion, a warmonger. But I don't use the term the way the leftists do.

My political heroes are Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan, and Margaret Thatcher. They're conservatives - - - not foreign adventurers and nation-builders like Bush.

I don't expect you to agree with me; few of the brethren do. But I want you to understand that I don't use terms like "warmonger" loosely.

Having said all that, I repeat: I hope every American in this forum votes for McCain/Palin.