Bush in "misunderestimating" the resolve of the Iraqi people to fight against a foreign occupier has exposed the fallacy in the Neocon war strategery". Thank you Mr. Wolfowitz and the rest of your Neocon rat pack for preying on a president too obsessed with politics and looking like a "War Presaident" to understand the deeper issues.

JBBaaol.com

Not quite.

The death, destruction, and misery of war are certainly grounds for general opposition to war, but a self-destructive pacifism makes no sense. The question before was whether Saddam was a probable threat to the USA, and I personally wasn't convinced. However, I also understood the possibility that there might be grounds for war too sensitive to disclose. (Still wondering about that.)

Next point - is the US doing badly? Compared to what? I personally didn't think this war would be anything but bloody and vicious; that fact that it's proved to be just that doesn't tell me we're doing badly given that we're at war and our opponent is known for his ferocity.

Why do I think it's a good idea to keep going? Because if we retreat, I'm convinced that Saddam, Al Qaeda and others like them, not just arabs, btw - will escalate aggressions.

For all its warts, the USA is a pretty great place. Probably worth preserving and building... IMHO.

Wait ... so you used to think the war was a bad idea -death, destruction, misery and all that.

But now that the US is doing badly, you're starting to think it's a good idea to keep going?

here's to confusion. :(

Former UNSCOM weapons inspector Bill Tierney accused Ritter of being a paid mouthpiece for Iraq on Coast to Coast last night. Here's ther link: http://www.coasttocoastam.com/shows/

I echo your sentiment about being confused about this whole thing.

Here's what I wrote to a correspondent who questioned Ritter's credibility and his allegiance:

"His lack of credibility make his statements no less interesting to me. The Iraqis thought he was a spy for the US, and some (like yourself) suspect he's working for the Iraqis. Either could be true. In fact, both could be true!"

I don't know much about Ritter, except that he has flip-flopped from one extreme to the other so as to remain contrary to the prevailing wisdom: ie, when we're leaving Iraq (relatively) alone, he exclaims "they're 15 minutes away from developing nukes!" Later, when we're preparing to go to war against Iraq, he exclaims "They have no capacity for WMDs!"

The line about "Holy Iraq" is confusing. Iraq under the Baath party has been a secular, socialist state generally inimical to extreme Islam.