Ghost of BiB

Not what I'm saying. There are two different "wars" going on within Iraq. As for your second paragraph, I doubt it. That doesn't make any sense on several levels. But, we tend to measure things by our standards and by our own metrics. People in other places don't see things the same way. Most people just want to be left alone. Personal opinion? I think the average Iraqi fully understands that in the long run, things aren't going to be a whole heck of a lot different if they get in the way of whoever is in charge. Welcome to the Middle East. You have 2 hour death sentence trials there now, under the new government. They are not viewing democracy the same as you or I, we base our opinions on American democracy. They know full well, they are never going to have it that way. It simply doesn't fit with the way things have been in that part of the world for millenia. The whole point to the exercise, is NOT to bring democracy to Iraq, it's to do things in the long term to protect our national security. Iraq was a major thorn. A government friendlier to the US is a good thing. We have plenty of other friends there - they were intimidated by Sadaam Hussein. Now, they are not.

She knows that. She's having a "Debbie Moment". We've seen it before.

You really need to learn Cantonese. Serious stuff going down in Hong Kong, make money-wise. They don't use Mandarin.

First, remember that there is more going on than Iraq. That said, within Iraq there are several different levels of things going on. The foreign interference are the anti-west Jihaadists, basically feeling their oats. There are also hard core professionals, who are honing their skills, for use in other areas of the mid-east and Africa. Good opportunity to kill a few. What is a good thing for IRAQ (notice my bold) is that they are there to attack and kill Americans, primarily - coalition and IDF, in general. The internal guys are predominantly Sunnis who consider themselves disenfranchised. There's Kurdish and Shiite crap going on too, but it's mostly Sunni. For the stability of Iraq (and in the interest of us going away) they are the bigger problem. They primarily target civilians, infrastructure and institutions, mostly just to keep everyone uneasy, wary and off balance. Disruption and attrition. In a round about way, the statement that the "insurgency", or whatever - coupled with the statement that there is a greater influx of foreign fighters, might be a couched way of saying that the overall strategic goals are being slowly achieved. Reading between the lines is a lost art. As for the administration taking a rosy viewpoint, I don't really think they think that, because they knew going in- but what are they supposed to say? They have the opposition on them day and night, because Iraq is an easy target. No one, from either or any side thought going in that this was going to be a slam-bam-thank you ma'am. Lots of petty politics going on, but hey, that's Washington. Iraq is just a piece of the puzzle, it will work out - just not on an MTV Timeline. That probably didn't say a lot, but neither am I.

Well, I have bad news. From first hand experience I can assure you that there really isn't a heck of a lot of interest within the beltway at fixing things.

Is this matrixed?

Happy Birthday, y'all.

Oh crap, Deb...sheesh, you didn't get your pill today?

As most times, I'm not looking as hard at the individual case as I do the precedent. Anyone remember Roe vs. Wade? Door swings both ways.

It will boost PGC, though won't it?

One shouldn't narrow the focus to just the U.S. It's bigger than that. A major disruption or upheaval in the oil market drastically affects the WORLD economy, and we get back doored with problems just the same, even if everything we had ran on beer farts - America would be hurt.

Great. Now I have to go to New Jersey to be bitten by a dog... Again. Well, time to fill the squirt gun.

Just got to reading it. That's disgusting.

Something catastrophic isn't outside the realm of possibility. A few well placed terrorist attacks in the middle east could disrupt a lot of flow.

I believe that is spelled, ass.

How does "no" sound?

You guys obviously don't remember when I was the Pope, and did those European commercials for BP. That was a little before the Sister Mary-Veronica incident.

No, haven't we sometimes worked up to subtley attacking you slowly? I forget.

It's not a bad thing, I don't think, in spite of all the folks who will say it's lame and not cool. Stay involved. Another thing I would give serious consideration to, is the Civil Air Patrol. I had the good luck to join it, back in the 70's. I learned to fly for just about nothing - money wise. I had a pilot's lisense at 17. That's probably considered lame and boring now too, isn't it? Definitely not watching reality TV. There's opportunities that don't cost a lot of money out there for kids to learn cooperation, social values and discipline beyond the house. This day and age, as good as a parent one is it doesn't hurt to have a back up for those sorts of things.

I appreciate the prop. I gave up and decided to do the background music.

I don't need permission.

heh heh heh...you'd be surprised how many like the old ways, grasshopper...

Cool. Reptile Study is still there. So is canoeing, swimming, lifesaving and marksmanship. I had cooking as well. It's been a long, long time...but I am not ashamed of saying I was a Boy Scout. I didn't make Eagle. What's the one in between? "Life Scout"? I still have a hard time believing that this country has PC'd and stigmatized the Boy Scouts. Where's the ACLU badge? This is, after all, 2005. We should NEVER have any organization for our youth that teaches principles, manners and how to live in the woods should one have to. That's un-American.

I only made it through 6 out of 7,000 hours before I was hit with corrosive blood agent out of the predator drone's HARMs. But I DID stay at a Holiday Inn last night, so I slapped some Gitmo prisoners around, because...Hey. I'm the man! And if you don't like it, be a man and tell me I'm a raving idiot to my face! I'll beat you up. THAT's....what makes you a man!

Well, learn how to cook. Then, they wouldn't gag. Women like men who can cook dinner. And, choose the wine. Kirk can cook. Piccard eats Healthy Choice. Kirk > Piccard.