I've just finished producing a two-hour documentary about the Middle East during and shortly after World War One ("Blood and Oil"). The British and French tried military solutions in the Middle East 85 years ago, and met with disastrous results. Too bad the Bush Administration didn't heed the lessons of history before sending our troops to Iraq. It will be interesting to see if the Baker Group cites the first insurrection in Iraq...against British troops in 1920. And the first Western military operation to protect its oil interests in the Middle East: November 1914.

Norman Soloman:

Half the time I couldn't tell if you were talking to us or to them, here's an example from your column:

"The idea of communicating by killing is very familiar. There's nothing new about claiming to send a righteous message with bullets and bombs."

Discuss Norman Soloman