WHAT IS A REAL [as in genuine] FRIEND?

[HARDCORE]

Anyone who has been following the media feeding frenzy in the Middle East over the past decade plus, has to at least suspect that a few of our allies in that region are part-time at best!

Recent news releases have painted the Saudis in a far different light than they appeared in 1990, when Kuwait was toast and the ?Wells of Arabia? lay in imminent peril of being appropriated by Hussein. And have no doubts about it, but how many of our late twentieth century allies in that region do you believe would have stood by us had that war turned sour? ?For that matter, how many are standing by us now??

A little quiz - ?What Middle Eastern Kingdom? who has an American-born queen, sided against us in the ?First Gulf War?? And while we are at it, what staunch allies of GWI are now screwing around rather than taking an affirmative stand against Iraq and terrorism? Does France, Russia, Germany and Turkey ring a bell!

The latter would if you read today?s paper! And we have even granted massive foreign aid to some of these people, past, present and future I suspect! ?Vots Da Matta Fellas?, is access to Middle Eastern Black Gold more cohesive than mere alliances, security and friendship?

Finally, do I smell a plethora of ?Catch-22s? here? Two pieces on the front page alone of today?s rag, one by ?Associated Press? and the other by New York Times News Service, point in this direction (opinion).

First - (AP) ?Baghdad will affirm in a crucial United Nations Declaration that it has no weapons of mass destruction, despite U.S. and British claims to the contrary!? Now that would be a first - ?TRUTH FROM HUSSEIN?!?

Second - Turkey, an ally and staging area in GWI, said that it will not allow the U.S. to deploy substantial numbers of ground troops on it?s territory in the event of war with Iraq? (Truth or Mis-information, who knows?)

And what about that (so-called) surprise inspection of one of Saddam?s palaces? This surprise (?) visit by just 17 UN inspectors lasted but an hour and a half, hardly enough time to even pour a glass of tea or use the head, let alone totally inspect the entire (Massive) facility?!

According to the media, many a potential hiding place was left unmolested, and the actions of some of the Iraqi guards at this facility was anything but one of surprise! And with Iraq so eager to co-operate in the inspection of this particular palace, did the hasty results come as a real surprise to anyone at the U.N.?! It was almost, according to the media, like they were expecting us? (Strictly conjecture on my part of course?)

Actually, I stand somewhat corrected! There was a surprise (?) in the form of a poem on each of the eight (reported) walls of this palace, one of which stated (in gold letters, and referring to Hussein) ?YOU ARE THE GLORY!? Well, you can?t say that this guy isn't impressed himself!!

And talk about your conflicting rhetoric- President Bush says that: ?The Iraqis have retained some biological and chemical weapons and have not abandoned their nuclear weapons program. (This I Believe!!)

While at the same time, the ?Kofi-Clutch? have claimed that Iraq has fully complied thus far. ?And this claim was underlined (Affirmed) by Kofi Annon himself!? (No surprise here!)

I also have to wonder at the choice of words that were utilized in one portion of this same news piece? Quote: ?Hundreds of staff officers of U.S. Central Command (Schwarzkopf?s old outfit) are gathering in Qatar in preparation for war games that could provide a model for any conflict with Iraq?"

First off, when the ?Bear? (Schwarzkopf) was in charge, ?IT WAS NO GAME?, as Hussein quickly learned! And I am sure that the U.S. and Allied Military won?t make it a game this time around either. ?For a gent that was gifted with a second chance, Saddam still ain?t learned shit!!?

No, we (Coalition) ain?t kidding, and this ain?t no game!!

VERITAS

[catman]

on target! keep up the fire!

[Seascamp]

I believe its Jordan that you refer to. At glacial speed, I?m thinking that the US is learning that we are set about doing war with the Hydra of Greek mythology. Some of the heads of the nine-headed Hydra wear happy faces while others are snappy and vicious. As we chop off one vicious head we see that two grow back in its place and one may have the happy face on or both or neither. Or anything can change in an instant, one way or another. Thus is the way of the near/middle East. But it?s all the same Hydra I believe it?s just a matter of which head we are trying to chop off and which heads are chomping at one another, or us, so on and so forth, etc. When we fully understand all this we may elect to go after the Hydra?s ?immortal head? and be done with it for once and for all. I believe I know exactly where this particular ?head? exists and right now they profess to be our best pals and lots of hand wringing is going on now as many are beginning to believe otherwise.

Scamp

[HARDCORE]

Well said, Seascamp!