I'd also like to mention a few news items. Those of you not interested in my views on this subject should probably stop reading now. I realize that everyone understands at this point that the combat operations in Iraq are far from over, no matter what George "I'm killing for God" Bush says, but I'd like to drop some quotes here to illustrate just what a powderkeg southern Iraq is turning into (more):

"Our patience has run out. We've no money to feed ourselves, we haven't been paid for six months and we're fed up with broken promises. We've told the British today that if we're not paid by Friday, we'll arm ourselves with guns again and start killing every foreigner we see in Iraq." - Najab, Iraqi Solder "The Iraqis who expected so much from us are losing faith ... They may be free on paper, but their everyday lives are worse than under Saddam - in some cases a lot worse. So little has been delivered ... those poor British boys who are working so hard here could lose their lives." - Margaret Hitchcock (British resident of Basra, Iraq)

You've heard people toss around this warning of "perpetual war" a lot since September 11th, with that tragedy being used to justify killings and military actions of all kinds all over the world; across Central and South America, throughout Africa, the Middle-East, South Asia, the Koreas, and so on. Let me also quote from an article talking about a recent battle over the Java sea (Indonesia; did you know the US is also at war there?) (more):

"U.S. fighter planes went into attack mode and locked their missiles on Indonesian warplanes deployed to intercept them, an Indonesian air force official said Friday ... Two Indonesian F-16 fighter jets intercepted the U.S. planes and warned them they were in Indonesian airspace. 'It was tense as the F-18 planes went into attack positions,' said Wresnowiro, who goes by a single name. 'They adopted an attack maneuver and had their missiles locked on our planes, ready to fire.' 'President Megawati Sukarnoputri must strongly protest the arrogant actions of U.S. pilots, which have insulted Indonesia's sovereignty,' nationalist legislators said in a statement."

I've said this before, but the US is a very strong country militaristically; probably the strongest in the world. However, the fact is that it's still tiny when you compare it to its growing list of "nothing-to-lose" enemies. It's already over-extended with actions in Afghanistan and Iraq (which are requiring more and more troops), and simply does not have the combat resources to take on all comers, even though Bush has arrogantly told them (and I quote), "Bring them on."

Remember: Bush won't suffer from this. He'll just get wealthier.

You on the other hand will suffer for his greed.

I think it's also important to stay tuned on what's happening in Guantanamo Bay, the US's catch-all jurisdiction-free tribunal zone, known for its rampant violations of the Geneva convention and other international laws and treaties. Since no convictions or confessions have come out of the POWs interned there, they are being given a new option: confess or die (more):

"The two British terrorist suspects facing a secret US military tribunal in Guantanamo Bay will be given a choice: plead guilty and accept a 20-year prison sentence, or be executed if found guilty. American legal sources close to the process said that the prisoners' dilemma was intended to encourage maximum 'co-operation'."

Enlightened societies understand that a confession obtained under duress has no value. If you tell someone that if they confess they'll live, and if they don't, they'll die, people will confess to just about anything. If Bush wants to play this game, I hope that prosecutors remember this strategy when he and Clinton are dragged in front of the 9/11 commission to answer for their mutual crimes against humanity (more).