3x Thursday

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The wars...there and at home

1. What do you think of the worsening situations in Iraq and Afghanistan? Do you think there's any way out at this point? How so/how not?

I think Iraq was a total mistake, from day one. We should never have gone in there the way we did, for the reasons we did. I do think trying to figure out Afghanistan is worthwhile, but taking some information from the Russians who were bogged down there for a decade would have been sensible. Of course, we didn't. So of course now we're bogged down there. We need to change strategies, although it may be too late for that. Perhaps we should just leave and let them sort out their own country.
Is there a way out (of Iraq)? Yes: leave. Just go. Figure out a plan to pull our troops into one area, and then start airlifting them. Hello, Saigon 1975.

2. Do you believe the US government has handled these wars very well? How so/how not? Is there anything you'd change?

I think it's pretty clear that I think our government hasn't a clue. I'd add that I don't think they know their ass from their elbow in any foreign policy arena. Bunch of posturing fools pissing in the wind.

3. How do you feel about the progress of getting New Orleans back on it's feat? [sic] Do you think it's going well? Why/why not? Do you think they've been getting the help that they need? If not, what do you think should change? Why? How?

I think that instead of spending billions of dollars to build the Green Zone in Baghdad, we should be spending that money to rebuild [safer] cities inside the boundaries of the U.S. I think it's appalling how the Katrina situation was handled--is being handled--and it's only through individuals and volunteers that anything much is being done at all. Once again, the government (from the feds on down to the state level, and including the mayoral level in many cases, though not all) hasn't a fucking clue. What I don't understand is why the rest of the country (i.e., the media) isn't paying attention anymore.