Southern Mesopotamia, where the Tigris and the Euphrates flowed, first separately, then united, towards the Persian Gulf, was more beguiling in history than in fact. Here were Babylon and Nineveh, here Sennacherib had fought his battles, here indeed, some said, had been the Garden of Eden at the start of the world. But it was a fearful country now. .... In the summer it was indescribably hot, in the winter unbearably cold. In the dry season everything was baked like leather, in the wet season 10,000 square miles were flooded, the waters gradually oozing away to leave malodorous wastes of marsh. Fleas, sand-flies and mosquitoes tormented the place, and its inhabitants lived lives of ignorant poverty, enlivened only by sporadic excitements of crime or brigandage, the illusions of religion and the consolations of sex.Is this the land of dear old Adam (one British soldier wondered),-- James (Jan) Morris, Farewell the Trumpets.
And beautiful Mother Eve?
If so dear reader small blame to them
For sinning and having to leave.
I'm not entirely certain this barbarian chieftain understands the extent of the gulf between Saddam Hussein's power and the power of the United States.
I think it's just about time we have a demonstration. Pick the most dangerous of these pipsqueaks who say they'll fight us if we "overstay our welcome" and simply wipe him and his followers out. Then invite the rest to keep their stinking mouths shut.
Sounds more the "Swamp Fox" to me. (General F. Marian of South Carolina, one of the inspirations for Mel Gibson's character, "The Ghost" in "Patriot".
He was alarmed by a US proposal last week to maintain four permanent bases in Iraq. "I have the same feelings about this idea as would every single guerrilla fighter round the world who does not want a foreign power over him," he said.
He's been listening to too many reporters. SecDef Rumsfeld has stated that we have no such intentions, although it is possible that we might want access to one or two airfields for a time, under arrangments similar to those we have with Japan, Germany, England, etc. It could hardley be said we are "over" any of those countries. And if they, the new Iraqi goverment doesn't want to make such arrangements, we'll leave. Rummy said words to the effec that "It's not as if we don't have other choices in the region"