However, Conservatives have shown no interest in "hearts and minds", which is the ONLY thing which will win. How may Abu Ghraibs, done with the encouragement and permission from the highest level, does it take to undo the work of brave, dedicated Americans at a local level?

How much WP used against civilians does it take to undo the best person to person efforts of the folks in contact with Iraqis? How many 500 pound bombs dropped on cities?

How may rapes and slaughter of families does it take to create fear and resentment in the hearts of most Iraqi fathers and mothers? ("Well, Saddam's kids were worse." Really?)

Isolated instances, you say. As with crimes all over the world, especially in a war zone, Isolated only by the publicity they got, there are many, many, many more unreported, or "investigated" and whitewashed. And the Iraqis know about it.

Nope, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rice did not give a hoot about the only thing which could have created a positive outcome - the hearts and minds of yer Mark I Iraqi. Any more than they cared about what the ROW had to say.

And that's the tragedy. Wonderful men and women having to fight and die on a mission doomed from the beginning.

I don't think even a Conservative True Believer could argue with this post.

ARf