Where did Talabani's letter discuss the cost of the war? Most of my response was a response to you not Talabani's letter which was the initial subject. Threads morph all the time, but usually it's random not a predictable course change like EP and BD used to exibit. I doubt it's intentional in your case and that of many others. Perhaps I was too harsh in my judgement of EP and BD in years past. Ignoring data contrary to personal beliefs is part of human nature and part of why rigorous science which combats it is so powerful in advancing the human condition. Stream of tangential thought over.

I have a lot of gripes with Bush on domestic policy, but the failures of the Clinton administration to deal with Saddam and Osama make me furious when I see the Dems turning a blind eye to them or exhibit knee jerk rejections of the idea that Bush can have accomplished anything good with his foreign policy.

Regards,
Mark