[Lissa]

Prin - Of course if there is some true aggressiveness occuring I completely agree that leashing a dog will cause more aggression to arise. However, in cases where a stange dog is just being a nuissance (and the owners have not complied with your asking them to remove their dog) I think that leashing your dog and getting away is the best thing to do (unless your dog has excellent at recall and heeling which didn't sound like the case with Beetlecat). Granted, leashing your dog is not always the best idea but owners should be able to make an accurate decision based on their particular situation.
I'm having a bit of hard time with what you and Lucky Rescue have been posting about us being our dogs protector. If you read my rather long example of what happened to me at the dog park then you may understand. I'm sure that if my puppy could have gotten to me for protection he would have - but there was no way he could budge that rottie and although I had every intention of pulling that dog off, I know that it was the last thing I should have been doing. I have no doubt that if I had been forced to pull him off he would have bitten me. And Dodger just checking in with me, the supposed "anti-bully" would have done little good with that rottie.
In some situations there is no time or "right" choice and while I do believe that there is a mutual-protecting-relationship, it cannot always be fulfilled logically.
Melissa