Hi,

I apologize up front if I'm a bit dense.

I'm curious about these statements made by our President tonight:

"...there were too many restrictions on the troops we did have..."

"In earlier operations, political and sectarian interference prevented Iraqi and American forces from going into neighborhoods that are home to those fueling the sectarian violence. This time, Iraqi and American forces will have a green light to enter these neighborhoods - and Prime Minister Maliki has pledged that political or sectarian interference will not be tolerated."

Is this a case of "we couldn't go blow up Joe's neighborhood, because Joe is on the board of directors, he's our buddy" ???

I'm not sure what else to make of it. But I have not been there, maybe I've got entirely the wrong idea?

I suppose I just do not understand: what mysterious force prevented us from attacking certain neighborhoods, and since we were not "allowed" to blow up these certain neighborhoods it sounds like all these crazy fighters hid and bred in these neighborhoods, and now the Prime Minister is going to allow us to enter these neighborhoods ***finally***, and blow them up.

I'm sure there's a rational explanation, however I'm confused - the President attributed something like 1/2 the problem to the "interference" by unnamed political and sectarian forces that we were not previously allowed to pursue. But I do not see where he qualified his statement.

I realize that time is money especially on TV, it's like a million dollars a second or something, so maybe this detail just wasn't worth the time?

Or, like I said - maybe I am just dense.

I got out my "Carl Sagan's Baloney Detection Kit" and something seems fishy.

Take care,

Waitman Gobble

Los Altos, California

He thought we would get an excusse after Irael invaded Lebanon. At the time, I could not believe that Syria (and also Iran) somehow were able to sit on their hands and avoid taking the bait.

Bush is again increasing carrier strength in the area, his warning tonight to Iran and Syria, his removing any senior officers opposing him, his placing an Admiral in charge, the propoganda drumbeat (e.g. Iran's nuclear research, although not really much different than when it began under the Shah), and the Israeli reports that Bibi, et al have been assured that the decision to bomb Iran has already been made and is already being implemented.

I am very scared. I new _over_ six years ago that we were going to attack Iraq during Bush's first term and publicly said so. The news coverage, the bloggers, and every one else needs to do anything they can to remove him from office immediately. Impeachment would take much too long. After tonight, I am convinced (P>0.90) that he is going to bomb Iran within the next 4-8 weeks unless Dems and Reps join to stop him now.

I don't know what it will take, but we need to quit talking about the number of troops. That is a smokescreen.

Yes, Iran could be a problem in Iraq, but not as big as it would be if we bomb them and they use their significant arsenal of state-of-the-art weapons (many the best available from Russia, China, and elsewhere) and take out an aircraft carrier or some other convenient target.

Since when have Bush's words coincided with his actual motives? All of the personnel changes, and the additional forces in the region, signal a move towards more agressivity against Iran. It is convenient to use an escalation in Iraq as a smokescreen for moves against Iran (and possibly Syria at the same time).

The nuclear missile subs are already in the Persian Gulf awaiting orders. The pilots are in their planes at Diego Garcia, nuclear missiles hanging heavy.

The only "troops" who will be fighting the Usurper's Armageddon are the radiation-riddled survivors scrounging for food after Pakistan retaliates for the destruction of Iran and Syria.

straddle a nuke and yipiee-aye-oh-kiay on your way down to the first nuking of Iran. Never mind the radioactive fall out, the instant disintegration of humans, no this is much easier than trying to talk to those mindless terrorist supporting Iranians. I wonder if the Iranian leaders will be nicer than Sadam and give their constutents the keys to the hardened fall-out shelters so they can be safe from those smart but mean bombs? Shock and awe...awe shucks man. The Decider is truly crazy. Hell is awaiting him.

A Strangelove-like situation arising. Our troops, pilots and their commanders have access to the debate -- if it's even a debate any more -- over whether Bush is a psychopath or merely a sociopath. I cannot see anyone pulling the trigger, no matter how many codes Bush sends, to nuke or even bomb Iran in the absence of some outrageous new act by the Iranians directly against the U.S.