This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE 2/1/05

Are you an optimist or a pessimist?
When it comes to the issue of Iraq....one apparently can be either.
The voting Sunday in Iraq certainly bore out the optimistic approach that President Bush has had of the future for Iraq.
The optimist looks at Iraq and saw about 60 percent of the registered voters defying all the predictions of blood and mayhem to go to the polls and thumb their noses at the insurgents who have terrorized their country these many months.
In addition, the optimist can look at the situation in the Middle East where the newly elected Palestinian leader, Abbas, is scheduled to meet with Sharon, the Israeli leader, and resume talks of peace.
There has been a declared truce between the two since shortly after Arafat disappeared from the scene. Israel now appears moving toward pulling troops out of Gaza and turning the job of policing the boundaries over to the Palestinian forces.
So....to the optimist these are great signs for the future.
The Middle East has been the hotbed for breeding terrorists beginning in Afghanistan...and now trying to intimidate Iraqis....so peace talks may herald a new beginning for the troubled area.
On the other hand, if you are a pessimist.....you can praise the Iraqi election, but point out that terrorism is still rampant in the country, that the Iraqi forces are not yet able to control their own country, that our forces may have to be there for a few more years....and a big question whether or not the sacrifice of over 1400 of our Americans is worth the effort.
The pessimist can also dismiss the pending peace talks between Israel and Palestine as just another case of window dressing that will be torn down by the next suicide bomber in the area. The pessimist will point out that peace efforts in this area have been tried many times before only to fall victim to a suicide effort.
There appears to be justification on both sides in the current situations in the two areas.
But, indulge me in a few thoughts.
The Middle East has long been governed by dictators of one type or another....and much of it still is. The muslim factions have been taught almost from childhood that sacrificing your life to kill infidels insures you a place in Heaven.....this appears to be the belief of those involved in car bombings in the Iraq area...and suicidal attacks in the other.
Suppose Iraq emerges as a free country....along with Afghanistan.
They have sandwiched Iran between them....and odds are democracy will appear in that country....whose leaders currently talk of nuclear capability.
Then with peace between Israel and Palestine....countries such as Syria....Lebanon....yes and Saudi Arabia may have to face the rise of democracy in their countries.
If these came to pass....it would certainly eliminate any threat from this area against the United States.
Hopefully these are the views that President Bush talked about in his recent Inaugural address where he outlined the role of America as a strong advocate as well as a strong defender of free peoples everywhere.
So...where do you find yourself.....as an optimist....or as a pessimist.

This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.