antimo_d

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So, let me reiterate: you say 'the vast majority of Iraqis would never go back'... who knows, they have to say it, not you or me, and maybe in a few years... just for precision... (Zarqawi and co.'s presence in Iraq is still a direct consequence of the American attack and presence). You seem like an intelligent guy, and that's why I don't understand your insistence on the presence of weapons (and/or laboratories) of mass destruction; that Saddam gassed the Kurds is history, that Saddam had neither weapons nor laboratories seems equally historical, so much so that Bush himself joked about it, in bad taste (if you have any evidence, provide it, and maybe pass it to the Pentagon that is looking for it ;)). Regarding how to combat terrorism, my ideas are: with intelligence, above all, and with appropriate socio-economic policies etc. Practically speaking... a large part of the command of the 9/11 attackers were Saudis, funded by wealthy gentlemen, probably Saudis as well, like Bin Laden (and not Saddam, of whom everything is now known and with whom no strong ties with Al Qaeda have been established): they need to be identified and have their funding cut off (if it hasn't already been done) to weaken their firepower; this is one thing, and much more can and must be done by intelligence: bombing a large Middle Eastern country indiscriminately, instead, risks (as I believe it has done) exacerbating anti-American and anti-Western sentiment in general (I remind you that Madrid could be the offspring of all this...)... the aim of appropriate policies is precisely to eliminate the reasons for anti-Western hatred; for example, I find the idea of a Marshall Plan for Palestine one of Berlusconi's best proposals, an intelligent idea to be implemented following a hoped-for peace process: this would remove one of anti-Western hatred's favorite arguments and, by satiating and giving dignity and freedom to the Palestinians, I believe many of them would lose the desire to blow themselves up... the discussion could continue, meanwhile I remind you that my pockets are crying ;)

so: 1) I don’t mean to say that it’s the Americans who are planting bombs in the market (but still, the marines are not particularly scrupulous, you have to agree with me... there’s plenty to prove it), rather I say that the destabilization of the area is a result of war; I don’t know if it was worse before or if it is now, I can’t say and I believe neither can you, the Iraqis should clarify that... 2) As soon as the war started, like in every major war crisis (especially when it involves oil-rich countries), the price of crude oil skyrocketed (sure, there are other factors involved, but they serve well as an excuse...) and on this trend, there was massive speculation... oilmen of every kind took clear advantage of the situation, while we got screwed... the fact that Saddam was about to shoot us in the ass with chemical or nuclear weapons has even been denied by American sources close to Bush... you see...

2) 'Pragmatic' side: first of all, every war (American, leftist, liberation, etc.) is fought also (if not primarily) for economic and political reasons; one must ask what has been achieved on the 'practical' side and whether (if the goal was simply Saddam, but obviously that was not the only thing of interest) it couldn't have been done better with stricter and less corrupt boycotting policies (the same argument applies, of course, to the war in the Balkans, although there was probably less opportunity for pressure there); moral: this damn war, if I want to think selfishly and based on the most reliable data I have at hand, has created an oil crisis and a rise in prices that has impoverished many who have not profited from it, starting with me in my little room; beyond false moralism, it is mainly for this pragmatic reason that the war in Iraq really pisses me off... I haven't gained anything from it, in fact I've lost and continue to lose, like so many many others...

Well, I'll say something about the vexata quaestio of the war in Iraq, even though the setting is improper... 1) 'Ethical' aspect: it's a bit arbitrary for us to ask from our homes whether it has done more good or harm to the Iraqis; we should be asking them, who have indeed freed themselves from a hateful tyrant but currently have anything but a pacified country. Many die every day, and others probably live in a climate of terror not dissimilar from that experienced under tyranny. But... once again, we should be asking them...

the interpol with the surprise... what could possibly be inside? I will investigate...

Oh, welcome professor!

azz ;) alright, I'm on it!

And Mark, for what little I remember of a proto-video, "she is beyond good + evil," and from the photos, she must have had an amazing stage presence, especially considering that she really had to push herself to replicate the songs on the record... but how are Rip Rig & Panic???

nooo, kosmo, you can't do that! ;) - I can give you the 'pacco'....