MK has some good points. Wase has more. There is a right wing element in the US that basically will tar and feather anyone who disagrees. And roadking has some philosophical thoughts.
My spin on this is that the management of the US has changed. It is now in the pocket of big Corporate board rooms. There are a lot of dirty things going on in the lobbying side of government. Good old fashioned moral character seems to be only a remote memory. Short term decisions for short term gains, our kids be damned. They'll learn from our mistakes how to take advantage of our mistakes. <wry grin>
As far as Kerry vs Bush goes, I agree with roadking: the choice is pretty bad. There are no more statesmen around and there won't be until another really good war. Or if things keep going the way they are and we have open revolution.
It's sad. I see how we have so much now, and yet there continues to be much suffering and hardship, as wase points out. The US once had a large middle class, but it is rapidly disapperaing. You can believe that the Bush's of this world are totally unconcerned about that. And, baby, that means social tension. The Democrats, as far as my memory serves me created the Social Security System. Man, without that a lot of us would be eating shoe leather for dinner. Bush is not a friend on that side of things, and neither are his cronies. Leave them in power and our kids will be eating shoe leather for dinner.
Big subject you opened up MK!
I am not versed in international law, but find it difficult to condone the unilateral act by the US in going to Iran without getting the UN's backing. It was a decision destined from the beginning to failure.
NB:
Tho I am a Canadian, I was born and raised in the US and served 7 years in the US military.