Iraq: Well, it's all done now bar the shouting. All that remains is to divvy up the spoils. Some folks are going to become seriously rich here. The Iraqui people wont benefit all that much from their liberation because if they truly get their freedom the Kurds would decide to become independent faster than you can say the words... leaving the rest of the country to be split in two. I'm quite sure the US government would not give a flying fart if that happened, but for the oil... the OIL!!! Cannot endanger the oil with civil unrest! So, I'm guessing a strict, reasonably benign dictatorship will be set up with a leadership decidedly pro-American.



Next in line - Syra? The US army is nicely warmed up now, my guess is they will do some policing in Iraq before invading Syria. I suspect it will be Syria they invade next and not Iran - based on the threatening language emanating lately from the US war machine (sort of reminds me of how this Iraq-storm was brewed up in a teacup not so long ago). Today Rumsfeld (probably one of the most scary men of these times) once again threatened Syria that they would face the consequences if they continued to support Iraq... I even heard "weapons of mass destruction" somewhere in the rethoric - Syria was not directly named by Rumsfeld but the implication was unmistakable. The Israeli's are stirring the pot further by now claiming that Iraq may have moved those oh so elusive weapons of mass destruction to Syria.

Of course, the US war machine agenda may be pushed off course if North Korea (which in my eyes is a real danger to world safety and stability and which should be handled with maximum tact and diplomacy) starts a pre-emptive confrontation of their own in their current mood of extreme paranoia.



Patriot bill update Meanwhile, it seems the Republicans are planning to push a anti-terrorism bill through Congress which has attached to it just a little proposal that removes the sunset clause from the Patriot act.

These are historic times, we can all say we were here and witnessed America giving up it's fabled freedom. Now why does that worry me: a nation with a fair number of relatively uneducated religious zealots with - especially these days - an almost childlike unquestioning belief in their government and president... a country with a huuuuge defense (oh my, I can hardly use that word here...) budget, a truly terrifying arsenal of weapons of mass destruction and a twitchy trigger finger.... which is turning into a fascist state right in front of our eyes....



The Baghdad blogger is still silent. I wonder if he will ever speak - that may involve showing himself and if I were him, that would be the last thing on my mind. I hope he made it through the bombing okay...