The US is presently facing a series of choices that will determine how we are viewed by rogue regimes, and terrorists.  The US faces calls to withdraw from Iraq.  Afghanistan still faces large hurdles. 

And now we have NKorea test firing its missiles, threatening US allies, Japan, Taiwan, and SKorea, and possibly the US itself.

Iran advances, unhindered, to becoming a nuclear power, while promoting the Hezb'Allah war against Israel, seemingly to focus world attention elsewhere (it is having that effect, at any rate).

Syria continues to undermine Iraq, Lebanon, and Israel.  Syria is allowed to assert disproportionate power by virtue of the West's impotence.

The US can run, as it did for decades, starting with Viet Nam, proceeding to Iran, Lebanon, Iraq (after the First Gulf War), and Somalia, and be viewed as a paper tiger.  Of course, this has the unpleasant side effect of placing all Americans, everywhere, in danger.  The US did nothing in response to an act of war by Iran, at the Islamic Republic's founding.  The US did nothing in the aftermath of the Achille Lauro, the barracks bombings in Beruit and Saudi Arabia, or in response to the hostage takings in Beruit.  The US did nothing after the first time the World Trade Center was attacked, and responded feebly to the potential horror of Oplan Bojinka and the very real horror of the East Africa bombings.  The US Cole limped away, with nary a response from the US.

No wonder the Bin Laden and others were under the impression that the US could be attacked with impunity.  Men who have no regard for life or law were chased after with subpoenas and indictments.  Men with no regard for rules of engagement were allowed to face American soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and law enforcement personnel on their own terms.  The US meekly surrendered its superior force multipliers for fear of offending the world community--a community that cares not a whit for the survival of the US or her citizens.

The US must be willing to stand up for its citizens, and her allies, because no one else will.  This will mean using the military, a competent intelligence community, and an aggressive diplomacy.  (Diplomacy without the real threat of force is not diplomacy, it is surrender).

Permitting rogue nations to continue to be protected by an immobile UN bureaucracy is not acceptable.  And I don't mean "not acceptable" in the same sense that the President does; I mean that it cannot be permitted, rather than, it is not desirable.

It almost seems as though people were suprised when the Palestinian people elected HAMAS as their governing party.  There was much dismay--a terrorist organization had been elected.

How could this have happened?

The same way it did a decade previously when Arafat, the Palestinian Liberation Organization, and Al-fatah were elected.

The PLO constitution calls for the destruction of Israel, just as the constitution of HAMAS does.  All means available are permitted.

The question is not so much, "how could a terrorist group be elected?", but rather, "why does the world support a so-called 'peace process' that inexorably leads to such governments?"