[Rhodes22-list] Hello from Iraqi Kurdistan! Reply to Dave, John B

[DCLewis1 at aol.com]

Ed,
 
Thank you for your response, let me inject a little realism.  I  believe the 
Iraq oil fields are owned by Iraq - not private owners (see 
_http://www.metimes.com/articles/normal.php?StoryID=20050726-075732-2286r_ 
(http://www.metimes.com/articles/normal.php?StoryID=20050726-075732-2286r) ).   You could prove me 
wrong by establishing that a sponsor of Hanks link owned an  oil field, but if 
I'm right it's not cash from the oil fields that  paid for Hanks link.
 
Regarding your opinion of The Washington Post: I often share that opinion,  
however in the case of Carl Rove I challenge you to support your case - "you  
believe" therefore The Washington Post is a piece of s***.  This is not a  
matter of theology, cite your reference.  What I believe, and I've checked,  is 
that The Washington Post reported Rove was a suspect, and that he had met  with 
a grand jury, etc, etc.  That's quite different from your  statement.  I don't 
think they ever said "he did it", but they did outline  the case - I would 
welcome a date/page number reference to prove your  point.  If they had said "he 
did it" I think they would have published an  apology, and I never remember 
reading an apology from them about Rove.  So  please stop dealing in theology 
and give us a specific citation from the  Post, it may exist.
 
Even if it does exist, however, I point out that every  newspaper has 
published an erroneous article at one time or  another.  If The Washington Post did 
publish an erroneous article about  Rove, or anyone else, it would not 
establish a presumption that everything they  wrote was wrong - except possibly in 
your head.

Re your statement that we need a politically correct crowd in Iraq so that  
they don't come back with all sorts of concocted tales: Understand, the tales  
that are coming back are not from the politically correct, or incorrect,  
leadership - they are coming back from 3rd parties.  And while I understand  the 
notion that all the world's press are actively conspiring to prevent the  good 
news regarding Iraq to come back to the US - I also understand the body  bags 
and death tolls.  The numbers tell you that Iraq is a mess.  As I  recall, the 
projection was that 100 people were dying a day in Iraq.  As I  recall, this 
past week 69 people were murdered in Baghdad in one day.   Truly a land of 
sweetness and light.  The problem is not concocted tales,  the problem is the 
reality and the statistics - it ain't good.
 
And if you think the US leadership in Iraq has done a good job- politically  
correct as it is - I encourage you to read a book called Cobra II.  I think  
Hank may have mentioned it on this list.  Dick Cheney endorsed the book  (see 
it's back cover).  The first 2/3s of the book are about planning and  executing 
the military campaign to seize Iraq - it's interesting - read the last  1/3 
about the occupation, and then tell me about the wonderful planning and  
execution.  That's a challenge.  Occupation planning ranged  between non-existent 
and weak, the execution of the occupation ranged between  unproductive and 
ineffectual, the book identifies many of the  problems that got us to where we are 
today - I recommend the book, as  I recall Hank, or someone on the list, has 
also recommended it.  Cobra II  is a good read.
 
Dave