Quote: DaButt @ August 13 2008, 4:30 PM BST

It's likely that U.S. troops won't pull out without some sort of defense agreement in place. The Iraqis might decide to keep some troops and equipment stationed somewhere out of the way in the desert - just in case.

Iraq's infrastructure was a shambles before the first boot crossed the border. The orgy of greedy looting by Iraqis didn't help much and the instability-sowing groups like al Qaeda, organized crime, Syria and Iran finished the job. A lot of reconstruction is finally taking place now that construction crews aren't worried about getting shot or beheaded, but it's going to take a strong Iraqi government to see that the work is completed. So far, their government has proven to be almost as greedy and corrupt as the groups I mentioned above. Hopefully the Iraqi people will hold them to a higher standard.

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Read a notes and queeries thing on did Sadam do any good?

Apparently he was directly responsible for every familt in iraq receiving a TV in 1978

Why can't we just nuke every last f**ker there? Would be over much quicker.

Quote: sootyj @ August 13 2008, 4:35 PM BST

Read a notes and queeries thing on did Sadam do any good?

Apparently he was directly responsible for every familt in iraq receiving a TV in 1978

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He wasn't Snow White, but he gets a much worse press than he deserves. People gloss over the achievements.

Much like Hitler really. Got to respect that kind of orchestration and grandiose scale. The plans alone, for Welthauptstadt Germania, are astonishing.

Aarin I am astonished you're New Labour purple to your core.

Vast, undemocratic projects that are poorly planned and failed totally. Boring old Cameron is into small gouvernment libertarianism. Yah boo sucks to him, lets have another regional assmebly.

n.b. there's not much to be proud of in any leader who gets their country, bombed flat, cut in half and a by word for evil.

That said the post war German governments have been a model of effincey and generosity.

I didn't say I supported them. Just that they were astonishing, and that what WAS built, is mightily impressive.

And 'government' still doesn't have a 'u' in it, no matter how hard you try.

It's the old difference between a psychopath and a sociopath.

One builds castles in the air and one lives in them.

n.b. with Sadam I was always amused by the fact his favourite wine was Mateus Rose and he loved mars bars.

How seriously could you take an evil dictator with such chavy tastes?

I know, I know.
But it is related. and it _is_ funny.

http://kuvaton.com/kuvei/georgia.jpg

LOL.

This female reporter was shot in the arm while filming and continued to report the entire time. (I think the bulletproof vest should have gone on a little earlier.)

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/08/14/vo.gerogia.journalist.shot.gerogiastatetv

Yikes!

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/08/14/journalists.shot/index.html

I don't think Brits are allowed to watch CNN videos. So far, 0 of them have worked for me.

I saw them both, interesting stuff.

Is it of the woman who got shot during a broadcast?

That's the first one.

Merkel and Medvedev are holding a press conference right now.

That Medvedev is one spooky person.

And Merkel's what I'd call diplomatic. Or sly.

They're both bloody creepy.