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I have concluded that some of America's leaders are having tea with the Mad Hatter and that the brew has been spiked to alter judgment. There is a new Washington policy to dialogue with (and appease) our bitter enemies, Iran and Syria. Condoleezza Rice has just stated we will start to negotiate with them over Iraq and other issues. Go back in history and put this scenario in the middle of WWII and imagine the fall-out. Somebody tell me what is different about our enemies 60 years later other than that they are more brutal?

You don't negotiate with "axis of evil" members (of which Syria was mistakenly left out). They will shake your hand and tell you lies at the same time. They will smile at you and continue to build weapons of mass destruction to wipe you off the face of the earth. This has to be a part of the "strong delusion" prophesied in the Bible for the "last days."

Nobody is better at analyzing issues like this than Frank Gaffney, head of the Center for Security Policy. Let me summarize his thoughts and throw in some of mine.

* Such negotiations will legitimize one of the most dangerous regimes on the planet, Iran. By acceding to the pressure to accord the mullahocracy in Tehran the status of equal partners and members in good standing of the "community of nations," we reward bad behavior.

* We are blatantly appeasing Iran on the heels of the recent and appalling accommodation of North Korea. What must the world be thinking about America?

* Like bullies everywhere, the Iranian leaders and their enablers in Russia, China, North Korea, and Venezuela will take America's submissive behavior as an invitation to become even more assertive at our expense and that of our allies. The world will become a far more dangerous place.

* Embracing Ahmadinejad and his mullahs in this way can only alienate our natural allies: The people of Iran. They have lately been demonstrating a growing willingness to challenge the Islamofascists who have oppressed them for so long.

* All the economic pressures that have been applied are cancelled. Governments and businesses will rush in to do business with the enemy.

* Efforts to bring about Iran's downfall will be precluded and a strike on Iran's nukes by the U.S. is just not going to be on the drawing board. We'll let Israel do our dirty work there.

* There will be more time bought by the mullahs in Iran. They could hand America a total defeat in Iraq. They will intensify their aid of terrorist outfits such as Hezbollah, al Qaida, and Hamas.

* We could be taking steps to speed the realization of "wiping Israel off the map" and achieving a "world without America," Iran's stated goals.

I say shame on Fox News that until recently has stayed on the cutting edge of serious issues such as this. They are now seemingly giving Americans what they want as they major in minors like the other networks. Our foolish appeasement efforts could bring the war on terror back to our shores but they fixate on Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears, American Idol, etc. When and if America gets struck again, will Americans still be asking who is the baby's father? Perhaps so.

Is this just one more reason why Bible scholars fail to see America playing a prominent end-time role? Her citizens were fiddling in front of the television focusing on nonsense while America was being dismantled.

I cannot spin this in a positive way other than to say God is in control and all things play out for His purposes.

(Jan Markell is founder/director of Olive Tree Ministries. For further information, her free print newsletter, or e-alerts, visit her Web site, www.olivetreeviews.org.)

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