Matt W

The post was actually specifically aimed at a small number of US based readers considering voting for him. That they’re mostly sane and rational individuals whose politics doesn’t make me want to shout at them is the scariest part, he’s hidden the truth of his opinions well and instead is running on issues that might have an appeal even to me if I didn’t know better.

*goes to read other links*

Soley is talking a crock

Not to mention his other errors.

I may do a special report on podcasting, so if any other bloggers have an offering, drop me an email.

Thanks.

is important that stands well alongside the one you ran from:

http://www.septicisle.info/2008/01/counting-and-recounting-bodies.html

As for the long-term, all the signs continue to be that the occupation is going to continue for some time yet to come, whether the Democrats win this year or not. Despite the Awakening councils, which to my mind have done the most to stop the violence rather than the surge itself, the Iraqi government is still paralyzed, and shows little sign of encouraging reconciliation whatsoever so far. My own view has long been that whatever the current levels of violence, the only way in the long-term that the country will return to some form of normality will be if the Americans set a firm timetable for withdrawal. The vast majority of the Salafists that are still fighting will then most likely step down, leaving only the remnants of the self-proclaimed “Islamic State” likely to continue to fight. The Iraqis themselves are far better placed to pick them off than the Americans will be.

Once all that has happened, then we can look at the long-term and consider whether the invasion was still a disaster in terms of lives lost. Without arrogance, I think sadly it will still be considered one. The best opportunity to remove Saddam without so many of the above pitfalls was 1991, and we missed it. Policy since then has been one bloody mistake after another.