It is curious that we atheists seem to be more threatened by the Christian conservatives here in the US than we are the Muslim conservatives abroad. Those guys make our religous right look like Jane Fonda, Kerry, et al, in comparison. What is the worst that Falwell and the ilk would do? Certainly not fly planes into buildings, certainly not shoot children in the back as they're running for their parents' arms, not shoot mortars from 1000 year old holy sites, etc...

Putin has made some very clear, powerful, concise, unpoliticized statements regarding the terrorists. (He is far too blunt to be successful in our touchy-feely political landscape ). Do you think the Russians' resolve will get reasoned away by their pacifists? I'm thinking not, based on the crowds in Red Square and the Russian people's history of suffering and endurance. Compared to the millions upon millions of Russians lost in WWII, the utter devestation from the scorched earth strategy and siege warfare, the casualties from a global war on terror will probably not even dent their national psyche until long after the terrorists have been crushed.

I'm hoping for major policy swings in their dealings with Arab nations, but I guess we will have to wait and see.