Evo Morales and Harry Reid

THIS is the kind of thing i would like to see more of - a little more talking, a little more reaching out, a little more attempting to understand where someone else is coming from...

A delegation of six U.S. senators led by incoming Majority Leader Harry Reid met Thursday with Bolivian President Evo Morales, seeking to smooth relations with the South American country's left-leaning government.

Relations have been tense since Morales' election a year ago, with the U.S. wary of his friendship with Presidents Fidel Castro of Cuba and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. Morales has been critical of U.S. attempts to eradicate coca in the region.

Reid said the United States must pay more attention to Latin America, blaming the region's recent populist shift in part on U.S. neglect.

"I believe that the U.S. needs to be heavily involved in Latin America, and we're not," Reid told The Associated Press after what he called a "long, intense conversation" with Morales. "I believe that Bolivia is looking for help, and I think we can be an agent for help."

i'll admit it, i have a soft spot for latin america... the u.s. has done a great deal of dirt to countries in the southern hemisphere for well over a hundred years, and it's high time we started figuring out how to inhabit the western hemisphere together in ways that benefit all parties...

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