Present-day Americans can only marvel at the intellectual depth and moral courage of early presidents. New Englander John Quincy Adams was sixth. A diplomat with broad experience, he studied astronomy, wrote poetry and investigated natural phenomena, and also served as the new nation’s first minister to Russia.

At that time (1812), Napoleon, intent upon seizing Europe’s resources –excusing his wars of aggression with the now all too familiar cant of ‘bringing freedom and civilization’ — invaded Russia and was routed. John Quincy Adams said he was defeated, ‘owing to his having despised his enemy.’

Today, President Bush boasts of not reading books. Ignoring the thinking of American leaders like Adams, he relies on the venomous catchphrases his spin-doctors and shysters churn out to heap scorn on the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims. They are ‘uncivilized’, part of the ‘axis of evil’ and — cleverest of all — ‘islamofascists’. ‘Commie’ no longer fits since we owe China more money for funding our wars than we do to any dozen nations in the ‘Free World’.

Grown-up schoolyard bullies calling names, their malignant rhetoric ensures that in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and soon Iran, sticks and stones will break bones –American ones as well. One wonders how long this administration’s Israel and oil charades will last? — two elections down, one to go.