Virgil61

This is untrue. The EU growth rate as a whole has been lower than that of the US for the last decade, dragged down by the sluggishness of the large German, French and Italian economies. It's for this reason that the Euro has been suspected of being far overvalued by some relative to the dollar.

Non-Catholic evangelical Hispanics. Just have never been able to 'get' that one.

I see what your point is but I've got to disagree a bit. From a sociological and historical perspective Greek Orthodox Christianity is at least an outgrowth and reflection of that particlular culture since antiquity, up to and including the Byzantine Empire, a symbol of 'Greekness' under the Ottoman Turks, a vestige of their influence on other Orthodox rites, and on and on through a troubled history. That's quite a deep mine of cultural cache of Orthodoxy that gives the resuscitation of a long-dormant religion the look of just an assumed, rather than say indigenously natural, religious construct by goofy Society for Creative Anachronism and 'dungeons and dragons' types.

I see no reason why they shouldn't be allowed. But honestly, re-establishing worship of Olympian gods seems like a silly affectation to me.

I forgot the name of the deity that Lucius used to call the gang capos to the meeting. Did the procession strike anyone as soemwhat Catholic looking in its proceedings? Any speculation on the historical realism of the religious proceeding?

We've had Big Brother here in the US, it's run several seasons I believe. I admit to an initial fascination with some of these shows in terms of sociological and anthropological interest; ie how humans postition themselves in interpersonal politics, but after the first season or two of Survivor (American version) I think the learning curve has dropped off drastically. We act more like bonobo monkeys than we'd ever care to admit. Still, as jaw-droppingly stupifying and hilariously ignorant as she comes off in that video, Ms Goody is dumb as a fencepost. Er, my apologies to fenceposts.

...is this for real??? . Good God.

Nice round-up. I'm not sure if I'm in either camp yet. There certainly were stressors in place due to the vast success of expansion and manpower demands. I think the Social War is one outgrowth; our allied legions helped you conquer much of the world and fight Hannibal now we want citizenship. I think the question should be not whether expansion was bad or good but whether the body politic of the Republic adopted to its demands and effects. Have to read the Rosenstein book though.

I'll accept a certain level of manipulation if that means 'the guys at the administration are looking for something to back up WMD' and resources are focused on that as opposed to 'let's make it all up' and lie blatantly about it. Whatever the answer is, there should be congressional investigations on it and heads should've rolled.

I said the CIA was incompetent at the highest levels on the issue of WMD. Tenet endorsed the WMD in Iraq theory himself, Bob Woodward publically reported as much in "Plan of Attack" and it's also echoed in "Cobra II" and "Fiasco". The later being the book I consider the most reliable recording of the first two years of the war at the theater level. I don't believe it to be manipulation but probably negligent selective favoring of information supported by intel from some NATO assets. I have other first and second-hand knowledge I'd rather not go into, but that's my position. I don't believe I said that. I said it was incompetent on the issue of WMD. One would have to ask why the 'manipulator' would then send over special assets, different services and Fed agencies send search teams and CENTCOM divert whole companies of soldiers, Marines, Seabees and EOD to search for what they knew was non-existent.

Speech in the Senate? Anathemas? Admiration and conquest? Get real Ms Augusta (links to the following for non-Americans)! Cato the Younger will be a weekly commentator on FoxNews and write annual columns angrily devoted to the decline in morality and ethics. A nasty fued will erupt with Julius Caesar over the later's control of the Order of the Sons of Italy in America. He will be found in flagrante delicto with Ann Coulter on a third floor office of the institute that bears his name in Washington, DC. Rumoured to have a serious gambling problems and a close relationship to Bill Bennet. Julius Caesar will sue Little Caesars Pizza and Caesar's Palace as rightful owner of the 'Caesar' name and settle in Reno, Nevada. With the non-disclosed out-of-court settlement money and pressure from the Sons of Italy he will finagle an appointment as Nevada Gaming Control Board commissioner. His autobiography--Life in a Toga--will be on the NY Times book list for over a year. His is rumoured to be writing a screenplay about the recent Cato scandal and to be thinking of a run for governor of Nevada. Octavian, under his uncle's tutelage, will control the local Sons of Italy lodges in New York City and corner the underground gambling industry. He lavishly spends money on local parks, schools, et al., becoming the darling for some in the local community. On the other hand he was recently expelled from the Knights of Columbus for actions that were 'getting sorta out-outta-hand' during elections at the local chapter. Rumoured to really, really dislike the Irish. Marius and Sulla will be major players and rivals in the sanitation industry in the New Jersey area. Marc Antony will become involved in the Hollywood fast lane starring in a series of soap operas and TV movies of the week. He will be arrested a dozen times for drunk driving and substance abuse and begin appearing in *or* films. After yet another arrest he will spend ninety days at the Betty Ford clinic emerging in a half-way house as a born-again Christian. Cicero is a medical malpractice attorney in Peoria, Illinois.

That is besides the point for the countries that are distrustful of the USA. I certainly don't think that the intelligence community is so incompetent that it would honestly make that kind of mistake. Believe it. The intel community, specifically the CIA, was that incompetent if only at the highest levels on this issue. There are a lot of stories of high-priority wild-goose chases to track the stuff down in 2003 and it remained high on everyone's list when I left in early '04. A pretext assumes some sort of competent planning on the Bush administration's part. They shouldn't get that sort of credit as the post-invasion scenario they were warned about by both the Army Chief of Staff and State Department reports shows. It's not conspiracy as the central facet of the invasion, the sad fact is this was and is an administration blinded by ideology to the point of stupidity and willful disregard of useful intelligence and advice. Think a creationist equivalent of foreign policy.

That is a very interesting choice Maladict! In what capacity? ABB? Gov't Mule? previous stint with Phil & Friends? When he first was hired by the ABB I didn't care for him that much but he has really grown on me over the years. Regardless he has to be one of the hardest working dudes in rock & roll... Have you ever gone to one of his Xmas Jams in Asheville, NC? I know him primarily from his time with Mule, but I'm slowly getting into ABB as well. I saw him with Mule live in Rome last summer, it was probably the best concert I've ever been too. :notworthy: And yes, Derek Trucks is very good too, but I haven't heard a lot of his work yet. Suggestions anyone? Here's a good . I think it's from ABB's Live at the Beacon.

Certainly not your grammar and writing instructor.

Yeah, ok. Several dozen books and hundreds of articles/opinion pieces have been published in the last few years on the neo-cons and Iraq. FFS, who doesn't know by now that many neo-cons like Kristol, Wolfowitz and Perle are Jewish? Do you have some sort of issue with Jews? Almost by definition anyone who's Jewish is now granted access to immigration to Israel and Israeli citizenship--I believe whether it's from the mother's or father's side now. How is the Project for the New American Century a conspiracy if it's out in the open, backed up by some major academics, journalists and politicians? There have been many articles written about both it and its adherents have been some of the prolific 'talking heads' on TV for years. How is this news? Whoahhh. Someone's been taking undergrad/grad poly-sci recently. Does the prof wear Birkenstocks, Gore-Tex and drive a Suburu? But seriously, I'm interested. Expound on this M, what particular philanthropic organizations? It might be worth a discussion.

That is a very interesting choice Maladict! In what capacity? ABB? Gov't Mule? previous stint with Phil & Friends? When he first was hired by the ABB I didn't care for him that much but he has really grown on me over the years. Regardless he has to be one of the hardest working dudes in rock & roll... Have you ever gone to one of his Xmas Jams in Asheville, NC? What do you think of Derek Trucks? I think he's incredible, probably one of the best working today.

I'll chime in that I agree with Andrew as well on the quality of your post and add you only missed piss-poor planning and ideologically driven blindness. Couldn't have said it better.

Who's said anything about civil servants in general? He was a State Dept employee. Tenet was never a State employee if I'm not mistaken, but he was director of the CIA. I'm left thinking what was your point. I meant support for the Contras was known within the intel community dealing with the region, not the larger public.

How about Negroponte in Central America? That's not an example. The opposition to the Sandanistas and support of the Contras was a co-ordinated policy and well known, not just some subterfuge hidden from the other agencies and armed services. If I say the State and CIA don't work well together, a statement well accepted in Foggy Bottom and McLean, then anyone can pull a name or two out of a hat to show different. If I join the Foreign Service and work for State I have friends who work in McLean and I'm sure I'll keep in contact with them. Doesn't change the fact the two have a lot of antagonism towards each other as institutions.

So you actually think it was a predetermined trap for Hussein? You really, really need to stop watching so many movies. Honestly, some of you need to spend some time in MI, the State Dept, DoD or some Federal service to get a grip on the realities of some things going on. While the CIA might play that sort of game, they aren't going to use some life-long civil servant Foreign Service Officer--as Glaspie was--to execute it. State and CIA don't play well together. Also, I was in MI (military intelligence) at the time and within 1st Special Operations Command. We certainly weren't prepared for it even though we were the first to deploy behind the 82nd's Division Ready Force in August of '90. Certainly someone in the command or the Pentagon would have been in on the plan or--as usually happens--caught wind of it somehow and had at least stopped deployment exercises, leaves, or some sort of hint that things were about to happen. It's one thing to be naive, it's another to have vague conspiratorial notions.

V61, I believe that you are in error. When asked the question by Saddam, she answered that border adjustments would not be a concern of the U.S., as I said in an earlier post. Again, Saddam could easily have assumed that this was his reward for the Iran-Iraq War. There could also have been a translation problem... Recap of the Hussein/Glaspie meeting shows otherwise. So does a NY Times recap: Link. But even if you think that's a fake to cover up a conspiracy,the point is that the invasion wasn't a 'set up' by the US. Saddam's (and Iraqi) interest and threats to Kuwait were long-standing and he was stuck in debt-repayment obligations.

This isn't true at all. Saddam never 'took' permission, he had one meeting with Amb. Glaspie where she failed to give him a strong enough warning, and there's speculation a US warning wouldn't have worked anyway. She had to deal with the fallout to her career and reputation ever since.

A break from the political stuff. Does the NCAA need a play-off system? I say not just yes, but h*ll yes. I'd make it a 32 team start with bowl games being a part of it. Frankly sick of the endless polls and I'd like to settle it like any other sport does. Fiesta Bowl, Boise St v Oklahoma; man what a great game.

Your logic stops at the CIA. Why stop there? Taken further to its natural conclusion it was part of the Cold War and part of the larger struggle against the Soviets. Why not blame it on the Soviets, killing tens of millions of their own and other Europeans; they weren't poster boys for enlightenment. That reasoning only justifies a few actions, not the majority. It doesn't? The Cold-War almost defines US foreign, and to a lesser extent, economic policy from '45 to '90. From the Korean conflict to Vietnam and even Grenada the Cold War was the primary impetus. I'd suggest a few post-war histories of American diplomacy, foreign policy and undercover operations. A loaded question is one that indicates a certain outcome whatever the answer. Your choice in the answer includes a 'no'. You weren't originally giving criticism, you were giving outright condemnation of US actions. They are two different things. You leave out the political realities of the time and want to judge their actions in a foreign policy vacuum. I consider criticism of US involvement in Iran valid in the sense of how it was conducted--stupidly and noninclusive of the needs of the populace--not in the fact that it was conducted [with an eye towards preventing Soviet influence]. US and European policy in the Iran-Iraq War was one of a Hobson's Choice. I consider the fact of US involvement in Latin America in the 50s-80s a necessity. I consider the fact that the US consistently ignored the importance of land reform and basic political reforms an atrocious and ignorant mistake. Well hang on. Bush and his idiotic companions have only two years left. Their attempted curtailment of constitutional guarantees have already peaked. Of course foreign policy and foreign views of American power are not the only reason, but an important one. It effects our influence in the world in trade, political and military matters. Not inconsequential things, you get multi-lateralism or unilateralism, and we've seen how this administration loves the later path. You said: Find all the videos that you can that show people being horribly killed as a result of this interference with matters half way around the globe and then say, "War sucks, people die, what does anyone expect?" I assumed you were talking to me and if so it seemed an odd statement if one knew my background. I consider mention of it relevant when the topic is such; there's that nifty ignore function for those who think otherwise. I hold Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Wolfowitz and co., responsible for the deaths of 3000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, coasties and Marines in the case of an unnecessary invasion and a botched occupation. The Iraqis are their own friggin' worst enemies. The best thing to be said of a nation like Iraq is that it needed a murderous leader to keep it in check. Not very hopeful in any contingency.

Your logic stops at the CIA. Why stop there? Taken further to its natural conclusion it was part of the Cold War and part of the larger struggle against the Soviets. Why not blame it on the Soviets, killing tens of millions of their own and other Europeans; they weren't poster boys for enlightenment. I understand Islamic radicalism. Western empire building and thirty years of CIA involvement doesn't justify strapping a bomb to one's back and killing hundreds. It's based on ignorance, anti-rational thought, a backward culture, oppression of anyone not Muslim and a great deal of inferiority and anger at that inferiority towards the West. Unlike the West, Islamic countries haven't had a period of enlightenment or undergone a secularization of religion. So you'd have allowed Saddam's regime access to everything after the Kuwait invasion, including military and dual-use technology? Oil for Food ended with Saddam's people taking a large cut. Why blame the West? It makes no sense, the blame falls squarely on Saddam and avoiding pointing the finger. It's always the highest of political chic to blame the US. I doubt it's insuring its own demise, it certainly is insuring a large amount of antagonism. I've said it before, the invasion was utterly stupid and the occupation criminally mishandled. I don't need to find them all, I was there in 2003/04. Most Iraqis are being killed by each other. It's our fault we took the lid off the pot by eliminating the Baathists and Saddam. It's the Iraqis fault for killing each other. They aren't friggin' children, they're complicit in this. As for 'war sucks...', I've been in the Gulf War, Kurdish Relief, Bosnia, Somalia and this mess, been in a few firefights and seen a lot of dead civilians and soldiers. War sucks and people die; ain't exactly sophisticated but it's about as square on as I can say it from my experience.