I guess since you haven't been reading my posts, you missed out on the fact that I have explained how we caved and bribed France/TOTAL so that the "insurgency" would end.

Your title still works though. The lives were lost because the Iraqi people refused to let the French and Russians back in their country after selling them out to Saddam for decades. They paid the ultimate price for their defiance of Saddam's allies.

Now we set up a deal with Sarkozy L' Americain and put TOTAL back on the gravy train and suddenly Europe's leaders kiss GWB as he visits.

Look to see the US in Iraq for a long time to come. Look for folks like Obama, between cigarette breaks, to approach the cameras and repeat the lie that he will bring home the troops for the folks with the same ballpark IQ as Cindy Sheehan.

But now that the French have their money and are slated for more - don't expect that powerful French media to make up horror stories about Iraq like they used to on a daily basis.

We paid the price, in money and lives and they will likely remain noncomittal and come out for McCain if needed to preserve their future investment.