Colin Powell, not Rumsfeld, should set up interim Iraqi government
Just when I start to feel better that the war will be over fairly soon, and we can get our troups out of harm's way, something else in the news really has upset me.
Why would the Pentagon, and not the State Department get the nod to set up an interim government in Iraq?
Former CIA director James Woolsey apparently will run the country. Now, please do not get me wrong: this is a free country, and since leaving office, James Woolsey has every right to participate as an advisor board member of the Likud oriented Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs and his association with Benador Associates. However, setting him up to be one of, if not the most visible interim rulers of Iraq sends the wrong message to the Arab world.
Why should we, as Americans, worry about how the Arab world feels? Why should we care about alienating most of the free world?
The answer is: our own long term self interests. Our elected government has the duty to act in the best interests of U.S. citizens and not in the interests of weird right wing political agendas. (I hope I do not sound too naive saying this.)
The financial situation of the U.S. is critical. I believe that we face an inflection point: our economy absolutely depends on the rest of the world using the US dollar for both buying oil and for maintaining cash reserves. True, we are the world's only kick-ass super power (and as an ex defense contractor, I would not be truthful if I did not admit a lot of pride in our military might). If we cause too much fear in the rest of the free world (and in places like communist China), how can they "get back at us"?
The answer is easy: they switch over to using the Euro instead of the U.S. dollar. Then we are screwed. No doubt about it. Everyone knows this, but prefers to not talk about it. Well, I think that we should talk about it.
Truth is good for both freedom and for business (prosperity). Not speaking the truth hurts us while a clear view of the reality of the world's economic situation will allow us to not make a very bad situation into a catastrophe. We are in a very bad long term economic situation: do we act like the proverbial ostrich with our heads in the sand, or do we play the game the best way we can, to at least try to leave an America where our grandchildren have it almost as good as we do.
9:21:46 AM 
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