Thanks for the invite! Alas work and sleep conspired in making me a watcher instead. Besides you had the situation well in hand. I hope cobbiii will read Roger and the commenter’s here for a while, there is much to learn and reflect on here. I must admit to losing patience now and again with the same old arguments (handshakes, etc.) being debated. I certainly agree with you about “international economic prospects” and someone having it backa**wards. The US is the lynch-pin of the world economy, after all our trade deficit is larger that most countries GDP. If we go down the world goes down. I also agree in hoping that the Iranian people take care of the Mullahs themselves, that would be the best way of course. I’ll say again, I’m just thankful that GWB is in the WH and not JF’nK, at least now we have options, had it turned out the other way we would be at the mercy of the nuanced Euroweenie view. It would be a truly depressing situation. At least now I have hope that, given the right nudges, the world may be a better place to live in for more folks in the years hence. I also agree that discussion re: “concluding disgust” over at TmjUtah’s place will be fun. Tmj is a heckuva good thinker and writer.

You should have joined in! Didn’t get around to discussing the oil warfare implications of the Mullahs’ nuclear shadow cast over Arab producers, especially together with their Chavez relationship and Venezuelan oil upon which we also depend. Cobbiii is worried about our international economic prospects were we to have to tussle with the Atomic Ayatollahs. I think he has it backwards.

Of course, we all hope the Iranian people deal with their theocrat thugs before we have to, doing themselves and the world the biggest favor. Imagine how desperate and unpredictable the Mullahs’ behavior might be were they in danger of being ousted from power by their own people and had access to nuclear arms. Would they launch at Israel for a national diversion or give the word to terrorists in the States to set off a few bombs in retaliation for our support to the democracy-minded Iranians? I don’t see them accepting their lot with any grace or mercy, somehow. One could always hope that their high level military would act more responsibly and didn’t harbor jihadist longing for everyone to die– Are there examples of dictators being deposed, besides the implosion of the USSR, who had access to nuclear arsenals? North Korea may be one to come. And now we hear that stable, non-fanatical Egypt and Saudi Arabia are trying to join the nuclear club…

TmjUtah, wonderful commentary at your Three Rounds Brisk! This should end on your note there. I see you’re going to get the chance to discuss his “concluding disgust” and maybe even Rummy’s handshake some more with cobbiii!

“Spirited discussion at times, but ultimately I see little that has been gained by either side, here at the end.”

That’s too rich. Thanks for letting everyone know that you make the call on what is substantive, bud.

(free clue: I knew I’d see something along these lines before the conversation was finished.)

Please forgive my self- link, Mr. Simon.

No, I’m afraid you’ve mistaken my concluding disgust for what you consider to be a lack of ‘ideas’.

charlotte:

Spirited discussion at times, but ultimately I see little that has been gained by either side, here at the end.

I haven’t had time to reenter the fray, and perhaps it is just as well.

You make some good points and it is interesting as brain exercise for me to attempt to rejoin with responses to your opinions.

But I’ll tell you what, if you are going to bring up old handshakes and harassment labeled as torture…well it tells me you are running out of ideas. So, I don’t think I will waste my time.

charlotte

Well argued and well written posts.

I haven’t had time to reenter the fray, and perhaps it is just as well.

You make some good points and it is interesting as brain excerise for me to attempt to rejoin with responses to your opinions.

But I’ll tell you what, if you are going to bring up old handshakes and harrasment labeled as torture…well it tells me you are running out of ideas. So, I don’t think I will waste my time.

charlotte

Well argued and well written posts.

Wait a minute- his multi-billion dollar biz with Saddam might actually be relevant to why we should disdain French attitudes toward our policy.

But Rumsfeld is not directly responsible for the seven or so sicko Reservists at Abu Ghraib who are being prosecuted.

RUMMY: Excuse me, but all that was in 2004, under the Old Rummy. We are now in 2005. (pause) Does anyone here have a question for the New Rummy?

And this is relevant to the Mullahs’ quest for the big bomb how?

Old Rummy. That’s pretty good. I’ll bet he could use it, too.

===== Transcript from upcoming press conference:

REPORTER: Sir, about that latest report on Abu Ghraib…

RUMMY: Excuse me, but all that was in 2004, under the Old Rummy. We are now in 2005. (pause) Does anyone here have a question for the New Rummy?