At some point the Iraqi people need to stand up on their own and fix this themselves. They need to scour their own country for brave, noble and honest men - which appears to be a scarce commodity at the moment, and put them in positions of leadership. Providing opportunities for "leaders" to rise to the occasion is something every republic or democracy does routinely, but does not come without dissapointment. Those (in the US) who seek to digress and place blame on people like the ambassador who provided that opportunity to Iraqi citizens should look in the mirror and consider the "leaders" who have served or are currently serving the US. It is common knowledge that the American citizen pays $1000 for a toilet seat or $1500 for a hammer, and there is so much pork in the budget it boggles the mind. The scoundrels that do such things should be pursued, but if you want to place similar blame - we are all guilty

Except that the news media refused to cover it back when the Republicans were stonewalling every attempt by the Democrats to investigate it two years ago and last year.

The only way to know such things these days is to watch the House and Senate in action live on C-Span because later on you won't hear a word about such things on network news. Then years after the fact it all of a sudden becomes a breaking story when it is too late to do anything about it.

Democrats tried to attach bills onto legislation to investigate several times but the Repulican leadership refused to include it and all legislation in the 109th Congress came under a "closed rule" except for one single appropriations bill. Meanwhile they had six Congressional Committees investigating the UN Oil for Food Scandal. The Republicans didn't want the missing money investigated.

Some things that came to light in 2005:

A British adviser to the Iraqi Governing Council claimed that officials in the CPA were demanding bribes of up to $300,000 in return for awarding contracts.
Contracts were paid in cash bricks - stacks of $100 bills - stuffed in gunnysacks. Why pay in cash bricks except to leave no paper or electronic trail?

$1.4 billion was flown by helicopter to a bank in the Kurdish town of Irbil- it never arrived.
8,206 guards were listed on the payroll, but they could only find 602 actual guards. Where did this money go?
Just One individual with an excel spreadsheet was in charge of $20 billion
Cost-plus contracts gave contractors incentive to charge higher prices- the more they spent, the more they made.
Halliburton purchased of hundreds of high-end SUVs
Leased SUVs for $7,500 per month
Some employees lived in 5-star hotels
Employees were told NOT to keep electronic spreadsheets to record their purchases.
Whistleblowers exposed fraudulent practices, yet for more than a year the CPA continued to give contracts to the firm Custer-Battles. When asked why, Custer said, "Battles is very active in the Republican party, and speaks to individuals he knows in the Whitehouse almost daily."

Many of the contracts were arranged by the first Bush head of FEMA Joseph Albaugh who left that position to start a lobbying firm coincidently right before the Iraq war started. He awarded many of the Halliburton and subsidiary contracts. Worked in Texas for the Bush campaign and in 2000 as same. Told Bush administration to put his college roomate (Michael Brown) in charge of FEMA when he went off to arrange contracts for Iraq.



Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D) had requested a Federal Grand Jury Investigaion in 2005:

"The Administration, the Department of Defense, and Coalition Provisional Authority must be held directly responsible for this staggering lack of accountability of $9 billion. If ever there was a reason for a grand jury to start asking questions of high ranking federal government officials, this is it."

Shot down by the Republicans in 2005

"It is simply not believable that the Administration lost track of every dime of the funds. The Administration willfully turned a blind eye and allowed the misuse of funds, and now must be held accountable."

California Democrat Mike Thompson was the chief sponsor of the War Funding Accountability Act which would have Congress review the accounting every three months.

Shot down by the Republicans in 2005.

And in 2005 and 2006 the Democrats were talking about another $12 Billion missing in Iraq they wanted investigated. Shot down by the Republicans.

All kept from the public by the news media. Now if talk of the missing $12 Billion comes up in 2007 it will be "breaking news".

John

Well put, rustler. Though I couldn't help laugh watching Jon Stewart's take on it all. Smart, phunny guy.

The truth is that if one looks around the world and especially the way the media covers the world, whether it be in the U.S. or not, there is also alot of "waste." Waste on emphasis on totally inane things. While people are suffering through hell in Iraq, Darfur, Somalia, Gaza, etc... what do we see taking up space on TV and Net ?

- Anna Nicole Smith, Anna Nicole Smith, Anna Nicole Smith (may she be at peace finally)....
- One more $12,000,000 diamond encrusted bra put out by Victoria's Secret...
- Who did what to whom on what TV drama show behind the scenes...
- Childish political bickering and tits-for-tats...
- And on and on and on...

There are all kinds of ways to waste the "cash" of human potential.
And yes, we are all responsible.

The truth is that if one looks around the world and especially the way the media covers the world, whether it be in the U.S. or not, there is also alot of "waste." Waste on emphasis on totally inane things. While people are suffering through hell in Iraq, Darfur, Somalia, Gaza, etc... what do we see on TV taking up space?

Anna Nicole Smith, Anna Nicole Smith, Anna Nicole Smith (may she be at peace finally)....
One more $12,000,000 diamond encrusted bra put out by Victoria's Secret...
Who did what to whom on what TV drama show behind the scenes...
Childish political bickering and tits-for-tats...
And on and on and on...
========
And let's not forget about the average of three plus days the news media spends obsessing over something Nancy Pelosi supposedly did or Hillary Clinton did or said or Harry Reid supposedly did or said or John Edwards supposedly did or said or Joe Biden said .......

and then making excuses for John McCain or Rudy Giuliani every chance they get.

Fortunately there are some news media sources in the world that aren't afraid of the power party.

John

It was almost funny to hear Paul Bremer ("the Viceroy of Iraq") in hearings last week.

He was asked if he didn't think it was odd that the San Diego company (home based?) that he had hired on a no-bid contract to do the accounting for the Provisional Government didn't have any accountants?

His answer, "Yeah, if that was really the case, yeah." [It was, according to Federal investigators.]

At least we have seen a few microscopic mentions recently of the fact that the vast majority of the massive death and destruction since the 2003 U.S. invasion came through the use of $750 million worth of bombs, grenades, and other high grade weapons looted from Iraqi military depots left totally unguarded for several weeks after the invasion, while Rumsfeld ordered U.S soldiers to lie low waiting for the Iraqis to bring flowers, and told everyone in Saddam's army to go home and, um, do nothing.

I guess it would be a stretch to call the 3,000 U.S. troop deaths from these actions "friendly fire" but would it be completely wrong?

The White House (Rove) trying to throw Feith (fake Iraq intelligence) and Libby (outing a CIA agent) to the lions right now, but I'd be surprised if the lions will be satisfied with that.

Bjorn,

Just don't forget who sold the fake justification for invading Iraq to the public. It was the news media. If I could find enough reasons to question the PNAC people's motives for wanting to attack Iraq and be against it the news media with their vast resources certainly could have done the same and more. In fact, the news media never did and still doesn't even MENTION those people's website and they have enough confidence that the news media won't that the "evil-doers" barely modified the incriminating letters and statements on the website. The only people that don't fully realize what the US news media are up to are most of the public unfortunately. When polled consistently only 20% know it. The other 80% think they can solve the problem with their television remote control.

But Instead, the news media chose to protect their parent corporation's interests by helping the "evil-doers" in the White House and the Republican party sell the invasion to the public instead of looking out for the public interest like they are supposed to be doing. Apparently, they don't even care if people die because of it.

Remember that when the media tries to sell the public an invasion of Iran like the "evil-doers" had planned in the 90's along with Ruppert Murdoch's (head of News Corp that also owns Fox News) people at the Weekly Standard. Scroll down and check out the cover of The Weekly Standard right after 9/11(dated September 25, 2001) if you don't believe it. If you read on the PNAC website about attacking Iraq first and Syria second followed by Iran and wonder why they skipped Syria, they haven't. Due to lack of funds they have been trying since last summer to convince Israel to attack Syria with the understanding that the US will attack Iran.

"Defense officials told the Post last week that they were receiving indications from the US that America would be interested in seeing Israel attack Syria."

The numerous indications by Neo Conservatives have been completely ignored by the mainstream news media as well as articles written in the international press.

Seymour Hersh has written several investigative reports in The New Yorker that lay out the "evil-doers" plans to attack Iran before the Bush presidency expires. Dick Cheney is the chief proponent although certainly NOT alone. The only thing that can stop them or slow them down are enough investigations by the Democrats regarding Iraq that even the news media can't lie to the public effectively enough for The Bush Administration to convince the public that the US "must" attack Iran to "protect ourselves."

John

When I was a little kid, my grandma had chickens. I asked about how all that stuff worked, and so she went to a brood hen and marked an egg. She says "This will be your chicken, you're responsible for it.
Every day I checked on my egg (ok, several times a day), and one day I saw the chick inside was starting to peck it's way out. I decided that the chick needed help, so I flecked away some of the egg.
My chick died.
The point of course, is that sometimes you just gotta let things work out on their own, or else it will fail. I suspect Iraq has somewhat reached that point.

BTW, apparently my story is very common, Gene Autry used this story in a radio show in the 40's telling parents to do this very thing with their children, to teach this same lesson. Most of our Congressmen and Senators come from that era; you'd think maybe their parents had heard the same radio show. Maybe they just don't have chickens in those social circles. :-)

Most of our Congressmen and Senators come from that era; you'd think maybe their parents had heard the same radio show. Maybe they just don't have chickens in those social circles.
===========================
Not the "fowl" type anyway.

John

While it is unfortunately true that the only ones who can solve the Iraqi "problem" are the Iraqi's themselves (and to be realistic, with much involvement by the Iranians, Syrians, Saudis, Jordanians, Turks, and so on...), I find it supremely annoying and myopic when people make that point with such a "Well, it's THEIR country, they should fix it." attitude.

It was also their country when we stepped in and completely wrecked it for no other reason than to let the Neocons try their hand at nation building.

They (chicken hawks all) decided what was best for the middle east (Democracy!), and then decided that the best way to grow it was to shove it down the throats of the countries in the region. Fortunately they had long ago picked out guinea pig and - with astonishing cynicism - used the tragedy of 9/11 as an excuse to kick off their plan.

So when you say that the Iraqi people need to step up and solve their own problems, at least have the decency to acknowledge that the source and cause of their current problems is the Neocons in general, and GWBush, Cheney, Wolfowitz, Kristol and Rove in particular.

- Edited for awful spelling

"So when you say that the Iraqi people need to step up and solve their own problems, at least have the decency to acknowledge that the source and cause of their current problems is the Neocons in general, and GWBush, Chenety, Wolfowitz, Kristol and Rove in particular."

I could not agree more.

There sure are a lot of lousy things you can say about Saddam H. and this world without a doubt better without him. But with that aside, Iraq WAS a somewhat stable Country, which the USA has now managed to COMPLETELY destablize.... This is NOT the fault of the Iraqi people, nor is the lack of understanding as to what a Domocracy is, thier fault either.

Iraq is broken and the USA is responsible for it.... not the Iraqi people.

The way Iraq turned out is no surprise to many of us just as the results of global warming are not going to be a surprise to many of us. I am just so tired of watching as we as a country go down these absolutely predictable and horribly destructive paths. It's not a Republican or Democrat thing either. When ANYONE ignores and subverts the advice of experts, disaster following this is only natural and should be expected.

Isn't one of the first things we try to teach our children "you make a mess, you clean it up"?
Why should it be Iraqi blood that's used to clean up our mess?

And speaking of this has anyone taken note of the charges against David Hicks:
"conspiracy to commit murder, attack civilians and civilian objects and terrorism"

Probably just as well that this US law doesn't apply to U.S. citizens.

And speaking of this has anyone taken note of the charges against David Hicks:
"conspiracy to commit murder, attack civilians and civilian objects and terrorism"
==============
No we haven't Bob. I'll guarantee the average person who read your post said to themselves..."David who?"

Just another typical news media blackout in the US regarding Hicks.

The BBC covered it. Do a Google search and you'll see what I mean. Living in Australia Bob you have no idea of what has happened in the United States in terms of the government effort to dumb down the entire population through the news media.

Unfortunately, it isn't just we Americans who suffer the consequences of what the US news media is doing. The rest of you in other parts of the world suffer as well and you are pointing the finger at the wrong people here. The US government is like any other government, administrator, or supervisor. They respond to pressure. The pressure is redirected by the news media to those who aren't the problem and deflecting away from those who are. All because of money and corruption.
Point the finger at the US news media. They are at the root cause of the world's problems.

John

I can remember a time when the whole world loved America. It began to change, soon after the second world war, when the world started to perceive America as being obsessed with the fear of Communism. The trouble with being obsessed with ANYTHING, is that it compels you to do things that you would otherwise think as being deplorable. Throughout the next thirty years, America supported, financially and physically, every corrupt regime on the planet. They poked their noses into every corner of the earth with bible bashing, psuedo democratic fervour and everywhere they went, they left behind a little bit of hate. The touble with today's America is that the arms industry is so vital to it's economy that, without it, the whole economy would collapse. It is in America's interest that armed conflict, somewhere, ANYWHERE, in the world is much more preferable than peace. It's a sad, sad world we live in and much more likely to become a lot more so, as long as America holds the reins. The American people themselves, are the most likeable, courteous and generous people one could wish to meet. What a pity that they allow themselves, time and time again, to be governed by a bunch of warmongers who like nothing more than to keep the economy ticking over nicely.

"Unfortunately, it isn't just we Americans who suffer the consequences of what the US news media is doing. The rest of you in other parts of the world suffer as well and you are pointing the finger at the wrong people here. The US government is like any other government, administrator, or supervisor. They respond to pressure. The pressure is redirected by the news media to those who aren't the problem and deflecting away from those who are. All because of money and corruption.
Point the finger at the US news media. They are at the root cause of the world's problems."
==================================================================
To be honest, I ALWAYS watch BBC before I watch any US news.... just so that can see what kind of spin has been placed on the story in question. And normally I would agree with that the news media tends to blow things out of proportion, but in the case of Iraq, the pressure was both CREATED and GENERATED directly by the Whitehouse, not the news media. The Whitehouse REPEATEDLY ignored pleads from United Nations to hold off and give inspections more time. Well... I feel bad for the American people, but the Whitehouse did get their war.

I keep hoping that my government is in reality "light years" beyond the thinking of the terrorists. Something like:

Let's take billions of tracked dollars (you've all seen those special strips in our currency, haven't you?) and dump it in Iraq. We track it for a few years, mapping all the terrorist routes and concentrations. Then one day, boom, 20 nukes go off at those epicenters across the globe.

With my luck they would all be on Haliburton offices.

And normally I would agree with that the news media tends to blow things out of proportion, but in the case of Iraq, the pressure was both CREATED and GENERATED directly by the Whitehouse, not the news media.
===========
The news media actively sold the war to the public. I think maybe people are fogetting which is unfortunate because they will do the same thing with Iran. The don't question the so-called evidence. They don't question the motives and people like Wolf Blitzer, Lou Dobbs, Paula Zahn, etc from CNN just for starters ACTIVELY spun stories to make a case for the administration that they were doing what is necessary to keep us safe. They did it right up until around a year ago and are still actively lying for them when it comes to Iraq. Judith Miller of The New York Times was one of the biggest sales "tools" for the Bush Administration. They should have left her in jail.

Judith Miller's writing partner Michael Gordon just put a piece in The New York Times today making a case for the Bush Administration against Iran. Read the language in it. What he is saying is the OPPOSITE of the National Intelligence Estimate from only a week ago regarding Iran and it's influence in Iraq. Talking about a "NEW National Intelligence Estimate, that Iran is providing “lethal support” to Shiite militants in Iraq. " "Administration officials said .." "According to American intelligence"..."Some American intelligence experts believe " ..."a senior administration official said"..."Officials said ..."An American intelligence assessment described to The New York Times said ..."Other officials believe ..."American military officers say ..."
All generic damning language with NO SUBSTANCE designed to dupe the readers into believing that the article has any other purpose than to sell the notion that Iran must be dealt with severely.

The Guardian had it right today Target Iran: US able to strike in the spring.

John

There sure are a lot of lousy things you can say about Saddam H. and this world without a doubt better without him. But with that aside, Iraq WAS a somewhat stable Country, which the USA has now managed to COMPLETELY destablize....

Europe was mostly stable when Hitler was in control. China was mostly stable before European's went over there to trade. America was mostly stable before colonists came over to live.

Oh wait, people were still tortured, killed, maimed, murdered, hunted, raped, wars still happened, children killed, villages burned to the ground.

So by your definition, stable = before US shows up. Besides that, no changes.

And, let's look at the geography here. If you neighbor had a burgler in his house with him in there, you'd try & do something. Call the copy, stop save them, whatever. Not expect someone the next city over to try to help.

I didn't see Europeans running over the Iraq trying to stop Saddam. Or Asians. Or Russians. Mostly just a blind eye was turned. As is the REAL root of EVERYBODY's problems. To damn busy & doesn't want to get involved. Don't want to help then don't complain about those who do because everybody has a chance.

I don't see the US government doing anything no other government does all the time. We just have a bigger one that nobody likes anymore & considers the cause of all their own problems.

"The news media actively sold the war to the public. "

Sorry guy.... I just don't believe Americans are that gullible (although I am Canadian, I do have American relitives). There simply wasn't much in the way of selling to be done. The Whitehouse has the final word on defence and Bush was hellbent on invading Iraq. It wasn't the media that started twisting things over WMD... it was Bush and his people. They took questionable intelligence and stretched it as far as they could..... they LIED to the American public, and to the media. The American people just so happen to be angry enough over 9/11 that they did not question these lies.

Put the blame where the blame is due.. sure the media can spin a story.... but there has to be one there to start with.... and you thank Bush for that.

Sorry guy.... I just don't believe Americans are that gullible
=============
Perhaps a more recent example then. Sorry of it is long, but I want to be thorough and document my accusations.

The Iraq Study group was the concept of Virginia Republican Frank Wolf. The bipartisan group was sent to Iraq launched "at the urging" of Congress in March 2006 to "make a forward-looking, independent assessment of the current and prospective situation on the ground in Iraq and how that affects the surrounding region as well as U.S. interests," and was co-chaired by former Secretary of State James Baker (R) and former 9-11 Commission co-chairman Lee Hamilton (D). The group was originally scheduled to release its final report on December 6, 2006 but the report was, as you know delayed by the White House.

Everyone in the US "KNOWS" that Frank Wolf had made a trip to Iraq in the summer of 2005 and was "alarmed" at what he saw there so he asked for the bipartisan group study. They "know" because the news media across the board told them so after the study was complete this past December.

NPR interviewed Frank Wolf on Dec 5 2006.
AMOS: When Congressman Frank Wolf went to Iraq, he saw progress in schools and hospitals. He also saw security failures, increasing violence. At the same time Wolf decided the war was not going well, the White House released a new strategy document, titled "Victory in Iraq," about winning on the ground. Not convinced, Wolf came up with the idea for an independent panel to analyze U.S. policy. That panel became the Baker-Hamilton Study Group. Republican Frank Wolf of Virginia joins us. Good morning.

Wed Dec 6, 2006. NBC's NIghtly News with Brian Williams:
WILLIAMS: Finally tonight, after this day here in Washington that was dominated by the final report of the so-called Baker group on Iraq, we wanted to focus for a moment on a man that was there today but might not get the credit he deserves. There he was, though, this morning congratulating both Congressman Hamilton and Secretary Baker. He is Congressman Frank Wolf of nearby Virginia, a Republican about to start his 14th term. This whole Iraq commission was his idea, and today he was feeling grateful and hopeful.

Are we at our best when our best and brightest get together and hammer out a problem like this?

WOLF: The answer to that is just yes. I think that's the way that it used to be. That's the way it was during World War II. That's the way -- and I think if we can return to that, the answer to your question is yes.

WILLIAMS: So you feel good today?

WOLF: I feel good today.

WILLIAMS: Congressman Frank Wolf, the man who came up with the idea for the Iraq Study Group after, by the way, returning from his third trip to Iraq after having seen how much the situation there had DETERIORATED and how violent Iraq had become.

December 8, 2006 The New York Times

The study group was created by Congress at the urging of Representative Frank R. Wolf, a Virginia Republican active in foreign-policy issues who grew ALARMED by what he saw in Iraq during a visit last year.

The Washington Post

The Iraq Study Group had its origins in a September 2005 trip to Iraq by Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.), a quiet legislative veteran with a strong moral streak and a driving interest in international human rights. "I saw some things that were dramatically different," recalled Wolf, who had visited twice previously. "You could just feel that things had shifted."

The LA Times

The panel was formed at the suggestion of Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.), who has said that the White House initially was cool to the idea but that top administration officials quickly signed on. Wolf proposed the formation of the commission after a 2005 trip to Iraq that convinced him things were NOT GOING WELL.

CNN/Time Magazine
Realism was exactly what the people who cooked up the commission had in mind when they set the bipartisan operation in motion more than a year ago. The review began as a $1 million insertion into an appropriations bill by Republican Representative Frank Wolf of Virginia, who had gone to Iraq last year and decided THE POLICY WASN'T WORKING.

Frank Wolf was introdiced the same way and talked about in the same way througout the news media in the US.
I am sure your American relatives knew about Frank Wolf (R) Va. who went to Iraq and became "alarmed" at what he saw and then commissioned the Iraq Study group. He sat there at every interview and discussed it after the report was done in the same manner and the news media catered to it. Everyone saw Frank Wolf on television and read about him in the newspapers.

HERE IS THE TRUTH ABOUT FRANK WOLF

Frank Wolf went to Iraq and when he returned he couldn't wait to tell the Bush administration how WELL things were going there and that the problem was that the White House wasn't getting that "positive message" to the public effectively because the news media was not reporting the "good things" happening in Iraq so if they formed a bipartisan Iraq study group to go to Iraq THEY would see what Frank Wolf saw and then they could then tell the public how WELL things were going which would be more effective since it would be coming from a bipartisan group and that would help the Bush administration.

The proof.....roll back to September 2005 after Frank Wolf got back from Iraq

Frank Wolf's Op-Ed in the Washington Post dated September 24, 2005 after he got back from Iraq.

"real progress is being made, despite the ongoing security concerns" -- progress to which, he wrote, the media were not giving sufficient attention. In his Post op-ed, Wolf wrote that the panel he proposed could explore the "underreported but significant successes" in Iraq and could as well "assure Americans -- no matter what their positions are on the war -- that every effort is being made to protect our troops and realize our goal of a secure and peaceful Iraq."

Then there was Wolf's Official Trip Report submitted to The White House continuing his message of "real progress" in Iraq.
despite significant security problems. "Up front," he wrote, "I want to make clear that there are many positive things happening in Iraq. I saw with my own eyes real progress being made on several fronts." He added, however, that "sadly, much of this 'good' news is going unreported because security still remains the number one problem facing Iraq. The country is far from being safe. ... Until we get security under control, our efforts to rebuild Iraq will continue to be a challenge." But, he continued, "to really understand what is happening in Iraq, you have to talk to the service men and women who are serving -- or have served -- there." According to Wolf, many soldiers told him they "were bewildered by the news accounts coming out of Iraq. Many said the Iraq being portrayed on the news is not the Iraq they see every day. ... Time and again I had soldiers, civilians and even members of the Iraqi government say they wished the media would report some 'good' things happening in Iraq."

As for the proposed review panel, Wolf wrote that "my motive behind the appointment of this group is not to find fault with the U.S. effort there now."

In an interview with conservative talk show host on MSNBC Tucker Carlson back in September 27, 2005 even Tucker Carlson was skeptical of Wolf's "rosy picture"of Iraq. "In Iraq," Wolf said, "schools are being rebuilt, and now open. We saw a number of school kids going to school. Hospitals being rebuilt, and now open. We watched the Iraqi army being trained. The only thing that is not any better is the issue of security, and security is still very, very bad." He also stated, "Everyone we spoke to -- military people -- believe things are going relatively well other than security. Clearly security is a problem." Asked by Carlson to "give me hope for why this is going well," Wolf responded, "I would ask you to read my entire report. IF YOU READ MY ENTIRE REPORT YOU'LL GET HOPE. ... There are very good things happening, and we cannot be negative. ... There are positive things taking place in Iraq ... except for security."

In this context, Wolf told Carlson that he proposed "the administration send a team" that would "report back to the American people, what is going on, the good and the bad? ... Is the insurgency growing? Is it weakening?"

Since Iraq had really deteriorated by the time December 2006 rolled around the news media engaged in a complete coverup of Republican Franks Wolf's motives for the Iraq Study Group and I'll guarantee that the vast majority of the public is completely unaware of the truth. The news media flat out lied and went along with Frank Wolf's lies. They did it because Wolf is a Republican and the war became out of control and completely unpopular with the duped public which makes Republicans look bad, so because Wolf decided to misrepresent himself the news media was only too happy to accomodate him.

John

Hey look… I won’t argue for one second that US news teams do an outstanding job at putting both a glorious and dramatic spin on otherwise boring topics. In fact you may not know it but other Countries (I’m in Canada) love to tune into the US news channels merely for the entertainment value…. forget the news! Our Canadian news is pretty simple mono-tone sort of stuff compared to that of the Americans. The truth is (and I’m sorry if I insult) but if I want to watch REAL news I tune into CBC (Canadian broadcast corp) or BBC (British broadcast corp). I mean really… CNN spent pretty much the ENTIRE day yesterday talking about Anna Nicole Smith. Well… sorry she died, but there are bigger things going on in the world. Mean while she wasn’t much more than a 2 minute blurb on CBC and BBC. So those outside the US CERTAINLY and COMPLETELY understand the American spin I would HOPE that the Americans themselves understood.

But more to the point, things WERE NOT going well in Iraq. … Contrary to what Wolfe and the Bush administration have been saying all along. In fact, things are bad enough so that Bush has FINALLY had step forward and state that “stay the course” isn’t working too well…. In other words… they’ve lied again. Bush has known all along that Iraq is a mess and getting worse. If he truly thought otherwise, then he should not be where he is because even the news media saw it.

As I said before, your news people are sure great at spinning a story… but the story first has to be there to spin.

What worries me now about your wonderful government, is that they’re now starting to say things like “The Iraqi’s must meet us in the middle” or “It doesn’t look like the Iraqi government has any control”

I’m convinced that these are little feeders that your Whitehouse is now starting to circulate into the news wheels to get the spin going… It will soon turn into a “not our fault”, “we-did-what-we-could” exit from Iraq.

The saddest part for Americans isn't even the Iraq "war" or the lies.

It's the complete lack of responsibility for the future of the country. Just spend billions and even trillions on your favorite games, and don't worry about a thing.

Republicans used to criticize Democrats for being "Tax and Spend." Here the Republicans are just "Spend" and they are doing it under cover of repeated emergency appropriations that add up to their own trillions in addition to the usual trillions of dollars.

In the meantime, we are becoming co-dependent on China to the point where we don't dare criticize the Chinese government when they go to every crooked nation in Africa that is doing ethnic cleansing and give them huge amounts of money in return for oil contracts, with no pesky human rights clauses like everybody else.

Why don't we dare? Because the Chinese government finances our wars and other deficit spending. If they call in our enormous loans, our mighty dollar won't be so mighty anymore.