FINAL THROWS

It's like crying "wolf" in reverse: it's falsely crying
"success" at every turn. You only get so many
triumphant "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED"
moments and "resurgency in its last throes"
claims before the public tunes you out finally.

Sen. Mc Cain's storied stroll in Baghdad has
fallen on deaf ears at home not only because
he was heavily guarded before and behind
and from above, but because we have been
there and done that too much to take these
staged happy times seriously.

Of course we all wish this continued sacrifice
of lives will accomplish something meaningful
and hopeful. But we are assailed with doubts.
The pres. continues to repeat like mantras
the same lies used for years: that Saddam
was involved in 9/11, that if we don't fight 'em
there they'll come after us here, and that
leaving now would leave a safe haven there
for al Qaeda.

To take the last one first, if and when the Shia
majority control the country, al Qaeda (which
is Sunni) will be gone completely and totally!
They, after all, started the sectarian violence
by bombing Shia mosques and Shia shopping
areas. They are the main targets of Shia rage,
and will not be allowed any rest or refuge. That
whole idea is ignorant, and in fact, presposterous.
If we want to get rid of Qaeda in Iraq, all we have
to do is help the Shia gain complete control of
the whole country! That, of course, is what
Iran wants too. It hates al Qaeda (and the
Taliban) just as much as we do.

As far as "fighting them there instead of here,"
that also is patent nonsense. Ninety-five per
cent of the insurgents are Iraqis interested ony in
getting us out of there and settling their own
conflicts with fellow Iraqis. They don't have a
navy, and aren't going to swim over here, even
if they want to, which they don't. Qaeda
continues to spread around the world. That has
nothing to do with Iraq. Yes, our withdrawal
from Iraq, whenever that happens will
encourage our enemies everywhere, as our
continued losses there encourage them as well.
So they are encouraged whatever stupid things
we do. We're going to let that determine our
policy, Mr. Cheney?

Our military leaders have been telling us for
some time now that a military solution of Iraq's
problems is not achievable. Mr. Bush has not
understood or faced that basic fact. He's still
looking for a military victory which is not in the
cards. So he's in denial: out of reality. And we
just go along enabling him! Let him do his
thing. He's crazy as hell, but he's the pres!

The current Iraqi leadership shows neither
the will nor the wit to achieve political
reconciliation on any level. That's why
congress wants time limits on our military
involvement there. So does the majority
of the American public. The president turns
a deaf ear on such demands, just as the
public turns a deaf ear to his phony claims
of progress and dire consequences for
withdrawal. It's an impasse that keeps on
costing!

jgoodwin004@centurytel.net