Hmmm, BigMac, I found your view to be interesting but perhaps not looking at the big picture. John Deere probably has more employees in Zweibruken and other Germany facilities than Claas has. The reason that Bush gave for invading Iraq are now less credible; where are the weapons of mass destructionIJ How many other Iraq lives and families have we disrupted during our invasionIJ I've never felt too comfortable about out reasons for going from Afganastan into Iraq. Fahrenheit 911 is worth viewing for additional consideration. Perhaps Bush does have us there more for his personal and oil objectives. If so, wouldn't we be better off building our own corn _ soy ethanol plants and own energy sourcesIJ lexions have their final assembly plant in Omaha along with many other US parts and components. You can maintain your John Deere fever if you want, but be aware that they are a very good marketing company. They are also the company that bought up the seventeen Bi-rotor patents and put it on the back burner so you would not be able to buy a single power unit that could cost effectively do your planting, spraying and harvesting with a single investment in one cab, engine, powertrain, and autotrack system which could have automatically flowed the same path through the field in spring summer and then fall harvest, (or fall and summer for you wheat belt growers) We had a good plan back in 1995 until JD stepped in and shelved it. They want you to buy a big tractor(s),sprayers, commodity carts, planter, seeder and combine(s). Sells more cabs, engines, and wheels and tires. $$$$ Hmmmmm.