Let's test the talking points

<p>If Iraq is the central front in the war on terror AND the war on terror is going well, then one of the following must be true: either things are going well in Irag OR we’re succeeding in a war while struggling along its central front. Follow the administration’s talking points through to their logcial ends, and it’s pretty clear we’re in trouble.</p>

<p>We won that war a long time ago. We went in and overthrew Saddam Hussein, broke up the close relationship between Iraq and Al-Qaeda, destroyed the thousands of tons of WMDs, eliminated the nuclear program, took control of the oil pipelines, set up permanent military bases outside of Saudi Arabia, “arranged” for free elections, and had it all paid for by Iraqi oil revenue. All the U.S. is involved in now is “mopping up”.</p>

<p>I hope #2 was sarcastic.</p>

<p>Don’t forget what a bang-up job we did in Afghanistan!</p>

<p>And the country is now much, much better for women. Formerly, under the dictator, women had to go to the universities dressed in western clothing, and were expected to speak up in class, and even, heavens forbid, read books! They even met potential husbands! Now, they can stay home and cook and clean, and go out with their heads entirely covered, and are entirely chaste.</p>

<p>Yeah, that’s what I see on the evening news each night: no women in Iraq. No potential wives. No female fashions. No colors…they’re all in chador.</p>

<p>Mini, You need to get a color tv…maybe even cable-tv…satellite?</p>

<p>And just think how much the demand for birth control…and abortion…has gone down.</p>

<p>Next - geriatric services! Sounds like victory to me.</p>

<p>Americans help people every day in Afghanistan and Iraq:</p>

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<p>Americans DO help people in these countries every day, and did so well before the U.S. military was there. I spent a lot of time in the mid-90s raising funds for emergency medical supplies and repair of wastewater treatment facilities in Iraq, even while the U.S. government was killing children. I have no reason to believe that would change now that we have achieved total victory.</p>

<p>“Americans help people every day in Afghanistan and Iraq”</p>

<p>And do remember, of course, that the Iraqis paid for ALL of this aid, from their oil revenues.</p>

<p>They paid for all of this, too:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/16/AR2006091600193.html[/url]”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/16/AR2006091600193.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Glad it didn’t come out of the taxpayers’ pockets.</p>

<p>Victory is sweet.</p>

<p>I’m confused. If all of this massive war effort is being paid for with Iraqi oil revenues, why are billions of American tax dollars being burned like California brush fuel by Santa Anna winds in this conflict?</p>

<p>Beats me. Maybe its creative accounting, designed to make it appear we can’t afford social programs or Katrina rebuilding at home?</p>

<p>$300-$400Billion…it’s just a drop in ye ol’ deficit bucket.</p>

<p>Let’s declare victory and bring our children home.</p>