Ah, Mr. Palast, the darling squeeze box of the anti-Bush powermongers. Can't people see that this isn't the nice guys against the bad, old oil misers?

On the contrary, it is the media puppets of one flavor of oil miser lashing out at their political mirrors. Haliburton instead of TotalFina. Anyone who makes this a "moral" issue is a dupe, on either side.

Mr. Palast was probably just fine with the French and the rest of anti-war Europe paying THEIR puppet to gas and torture his people. The alternative, a free, Democratic Iraq is much, much worse, since the oil money is flowing elsewhere. It isn't the pissant "activist" stance, it is whose team is winning.

Don't judge a journalist by what he poo-poos. Judge him for what he opts to turn a blind eye to. If Palast prefers Hussein and all the money flowing to corrupt Europeans, fine, but he needs to shut the hell up with the "holier than thou" crap.

Hey, i just found this interesting, not saying i agree...

Not saying you did. Palast sets me off. Another anti-Bush dripping faucet.

Anyone who makes this a "moral" issue is a dupe, on either side.

while i don't yet know anymore about this than was reported by palast via bbc...and what's revealed on the document page to which its linked...i think there may be a moral issue if, in fact, the administration developed or selected a plan to do anything with iraqi oil but turn it back over to the people of iraq as quickly as possible.

your dripping faucet metaphor--i meant to comment on its original appearance, but this will do as well--disregards the reason faucets drip. having recently been forced to deal with the consequences of a failed compression fitting some fool used to connect the lines to my shower, i'm unlikely to be quite so nonchalant when encountering evidence of deteriorating washers, gaskets, etc. in the future.

(what magic is involved in setting that excellent holmes profile image in your replies btw?)

"i think there may be a moral issue if, in fact, the administration developed or selected a plan to do anything with iraqi oil but turn it back over to the people of iraq as quickly as possible."

I don't think there was. IF there was, though, it is taking advantage of Iraq while establishing Democracy there, as opposed to taking advantage of Iraq while propping up a psychopathic dictator who gassed, tortured, amputated his people to retain power...

"i meant to comment on its original appearance, but this will do as well--disregards the reason faucets drip."

You could look at it two ways. There is too much pressure building up behind the faucet, or there is a flaw in the gasket. Half full, half empty, your choice. Me, I think the pressure is the same as always and only the flawed ones drip continually...

"(what magic is involved in setting that excellent holmes profile image in your replies btw?)"

Go to wincustomize, login there, go to your user settings, and upload a 50 by 50 icon of your making. Has to be JPEG, though, mine was a nifty animated one that I had made but I had to use a single frame.

Anyone who actually buys into this better start looking out for black helicopters!

Anyone who actually buys into this better start looking out for black helicopters!

And they had best stay off the phone or I will get 'em on there...