slowly and gradually "the insurgency" evolved and how it has continued to evolve.

Yes, it took a hell of a lot to drive the Iraqis, now bereft of a government and an Army, to revolt against their occupiers, and they all had to know that a terrible price would be paid.

You got to hand it to the US. We went the full distance to provoke the Iraqis, combined with leaving them the means to do it. (I mean so far as was in our power, we can't just buy these Hajis an Air Force, they couldn't maintain the planes)

A lot of countries would have done a half-assed job, and never really got that insurgency started. But not us! We had to do every damn thing for the Iraqis. First, we had to dismiss their Army, so tons of militarily trained, and experienced leader of men, couldn't be kept track of or under orders. See, if we left these guys as an Army, even if they agreed to not fight the US, any units or companies or whatever could be dealt with as a "mutiny", but that still doesn't give us the right to go whackin' on the civilian population. So let 'em go home, and now when there's an insurgency, you can treat the entire population as combatants. I needn't tell you how far we went in motivating the Iraqis with the mass detentions and torture, but I will tell you that a lot of countries would not have had what it takes to carry that kind of a program out. Only the devotion to teamwork of the kind you find lots of in America's fightin' men and women could of done it, and done it they did. And don't ever forget that America is a generous country, we left them a good supply of explosives, arms and generously supplied the Iraqis with information.

And so finally, finally those damn Iraqis came through and gave us a war. Sheesh, I don't want to say anything, but some people, lazy, you know what I mean?

and another Saddam will emerge to make everything better.

If we give him as much help as we gave Saddam, he can't miss!

Did I miss the post where you answered my question regarding your final farewell?

You must have. At the time my condition precluded further posting. However, I made a not-completely-unexpected miraculous recovery, and my medical team were persuaded that a little light posting would not be dangerous, in fact might be ameliorative, palliative, or just downright therapeutic.

Your concern is touching, while I'm sure it in no way measures up to your concern for the freedom, liberty and well-being of the Iraqis.

Thanks for asking.

Thank you for reminding us all of the most important issue facing America: your ego and petty rivalry with other liberal bloggers.

-- DCLaw1

Friedman's just another word for nothing left to lose.

Goodnight and many thanks to all.

The best part, North, is that you wrote that out from memory. Just as Icould have, buddy, just as I could have. He was the best.

Hey Shooter: Let's make the water turn black!

It's time for a "sit down" at the kitchen table.

Yeah, the way he sat down with the guys who were writing his newsletter, and set them straight. Avuncular, paternal even. Just like Shooter.

Gawd. (It would save a lot of time and effor,t though, if I could just hire me a good sockpuppet. He'd have to bring his own dictionary, though. I'll need mine for all those epistles I was planning to fire off to Ephesus.)

-- William Timberman

Mr. Timberman, would you prefer my resume' be an attachment, or should I include it in the text of my e-mail. Photos to follow by Fed-Ex.

Lucky Strike cig contest...

Good Celery

How do you do it, Mr. Celery? May I call you Good? Anyway, yeah I keep on looking at "LWM" and seeing, what is it, oh yeah: LS/MFT Now I know why. Thanks!

Cocktailhag? In a show? I can't catch everything. Is there a URL or a name for the project? I always enjoy her comments.

And in spite of RMG's urgings, I can't be anybody else. Not even, alas, LWM. Chainsmoking Luckies would kill me.