But let's have perspective

What IS relevant is the continual lies of the US Administration about the justifications for the Iraq War.

Point blank - The Bush White House LIED (as in "knowingly told a falsehood that matters") about the threat that the Hussein regime posed to the US in particular and to the world in general. They lied and bullied and blustered their way into an invasion which has left Saddam Hussein's whereabouts unknown, hundreds of US troops dead, over a thousand more US service men and women significantly wounded, and MILLIONS (that's six, count 'em, six zeroes) of Iraqis dead, or wounded, or in danger of robbery, murder, disease, hunger and general suffering.

I am quite happy that Hussein is out of power. Miserable, butchering, torturing bastard. I sincerely and unrepentantly hope he is dead, and that he died a lingering, agonizing death, like so many of the people he ordered murdered suffered.

This does not change the fact that this war was conducted in violation of international law, that it was done based on lies, and that is is now costing lives every day because this adminsitration has NO PLAN for actually stabilizing and normalizing the country. Shit, we can't even do this in Afghanistan!

I am reading more and more reports of how badly our troops are being supported. How badly POWs are being treated. How high-handed the US command is being with local populations.

Nation-building is a long, thankless job under the best of conditions. It is what Iraq would have faced with the death of Hussein. But the Bush White House forced this war because they thought they could get a quick win and boost their polls. They honestly believed that Iraq would remain intact, they could kill Hussein, and then leave the Ba'athists in control. Easy win, score one for the Unelected Fraud!

But reality is a messy thing, and there are some predicaments Poppy Bush's friends and influence can't buy you out of.

It would be funny, the plan blowing up in the Chimp's face - except there are people suffering needlessly because of it. There are children missing homes, water, food, parents, limbs. There are service men and women who are maimed for life. There is a great and noble nation, beggared. There are angry people who see this and only wish to return the favor - pain, destruction, death.

Iraq needs the UN to come to its aid, to protect its resources and patrimony, and to honestly set it on the path to independent nationhood.

The US needs to get rid of the neo-fascists in the White House, and look to setting its own house in order.

Ang