bash does not run startup files

[root]

Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]:
Machine: i686
OS: linux-gnu - Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client release 5.3 (Tikanga)
Compiler: gcc
Compilation CFLAGS:  -DPROGRAM='bash' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='i686' 
-DCONF_OSTYPE='linux-gnu' -DCONF_MACHTYPE='i686-pc-linux-gnu' 
-DCONF_VENDOR='pc' -DLOCALEDIR='/usr/share/locale' -DPACKAGE='bash' -DSHELL 
-DHAVE_CONFIG_H   -I.  -I. -I./include -I./lib   -g -O2
uname output: Linux ghostwheel.llnl.gov 2.6.28.7 #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon Feb 23 
11:37:50 PST 2009 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
Machine Type: i686-pc-linux-gnu

Bash Version: 4.0
Patch Level: 10
Release Status: release

Description:
        no matter how I invoke bash, it will not run any of the startup 
scripts: /etc/profile, ~/.bash_profile, ~/.bashrc - this is either being 
started by /bin/login or in an xterm session

Repeat-By:
        login with /etc/passwd specifying /bin/bash as shell
        exec /bin/bash --login --interactive
        xterm
        xterm -e /bin/bash -l -i