Rick's Cafe Americain

Bummer, right?

...the resistance and insurgence met in recent months by occupation forces were likely not the work of Saddam loyalists as much as America-haters, many from neighboring countries

Shades of gray, Rick. Saddam loyalists = Baathists = Arab nationalists/fascists = America Haters.

we can only hope that the capture of Saddam will have a net positive effect...by weakening the resolve of those who would undermine the reconstruction effort

Yep, one can only hope it has exactly that effect on the French, Germans and Russians.

C’mon, Kashei.  What is a bummer is that the Bush camp will claim this as some sort of “vindication”.  It is undoubtedly a good thing for the Iraqi people.  But it does not establish the erstwhile link between Saddam and The Terrorists that was used to leverage public support for the war, nor does Saddam count as a WMD.
Nor will it make Americans any safer, either in Iraq or at home.
So, is it a great thing?  Yes.  Is it a vindication of Bush’s policies or decisions?  No.  So it will only be a bummer if Shrub is able to ride Evil Santa to re-election.

Oh, and Danny—you should probably wait to post until after you’ve had your coffee.

Ahhhh, nothing better than a steamin’ cup o’ Columbian Supremo. Oh hey, looky here! ""France, together with other creditors, believes there could be an agreement in 2004,” the French foreign minister, Dominque de Villepin, told reporters after a meeting here with members of Iraq’s interim Governing Council. He said if various conditions regarding Iraq’s sovereignty and stability were met, his country “could then envisage cancellation of debts in line with Iraq’s basic financing capacity."

Gosh, I thought we were supposed to see more “international tensions and animosity”. It’s like de Villepin just finished “The Little Red Hen” or something.

Ladies and Gentlemen, a perfectly executed “Right Turn”:  Danny, like most knee-jerk Republicrats, can’t back up what he says, so he changes the subject instead.

Saddam loyalists = People loyal to Saddam, and hence most likely to be affected, if at all, by the capture of Saddam. Your analogy is sort of like saying “Saddam loyalists=Baathists=ardent nationalists who will follow their charismatic leader no matter what the consequenses=Bush loyalists”.

And your example only supports the contention that neither the French, the Russians, nor the Germans have attempted to undermine the reconstruction effort.  To the contrary, it is the US that has tried to exclude them and—to France’s great credit—they are willing to be bigger about it than we are, and recognize that the future of the Iraqi people should not be made a bargaining chip in international politics.

And your example only supports the contention that neither the French, the Russians, nor the Germans have attempted to undermine the reconstruction effort.

Yeah, I guess I’m just impatient. Or maybe I just missed all those French and German offers of help over these last 8 months. Either way, I’m sure it’s just coincidence that France and Germany have “reiterated” their commitments of help right after DoD announced the reconstruction contract rules.

Woo-boy...I shoulda stopped after that seventh cup of java!