While US is squabling with UN, exiled Iraqis among themselves, and local religious leaders and stealth Baathists with everyone, The Onion has this on the topic.

That's great stuff. I rather like this one too.

While US is squabling with UN, exiled Iraqis among themselves, and local religious leaders and stealth Baathists with everyone,

Ah, thank goodness for The Onion. Why cry too much when you can laugh?

No longer exactly exiles squabbling, eh, if they are back in town, true? Yes, I think I'll stick with the Onion. The other reality shows such as the Mercury News just don't have the same sense of humor. Why is installing Democracy such a big deal? So messy? I saw Tom Silva knock it out on This Old House and it fit neatly in a 30 minute episode! Pesky Shiites. Pesky Kurds. Pesky Suunis. Pesky Baathists. Pesky Russians. All trying to make this complicated when we *know* it should be so easy.

Ah, but I don't guess it really matters here in Someplace, USA who will rule in Iraq. Some semblance of an effort on our part, a few heart-warming refugee stories, and a new Lee Greenwood song should do the trick here. As each day goes by, the growing likelihood that we were probably grossly lied to seems to matter less and less. A poll "found that most Americans believe that the war against Iraq will have been worthwhile even if weapons of mass destruction are never found..." I mean, so what if the administration is deceitful and corrupt? They are just so....forceful, so certain, so reassuring. And guided by a Divine Hand! (*Our* Divine Hand, of course, not some cheap, heathen imitation!)

Thank Bob for the few remaining islands of difference in the American media (or should we just reform the media outlets into a big cheerleading squad?). The Onion, Harpers, a few others. I have to remind myself to regularly look at Harper's on-line weekly review as it seems it is a fleeting Web item and the bits don't all make it into the monthly magazine. How else would I learn, hidden among all of the war-weary reality, about "turkey parts into oil" or inflatable churches or "Police in Berlin confiscated an air-raid siren from a 73-year-old man who had been using it to stun his talkative wife into submission. "?

I saw Tom Silva knock it out on This Old House and it fit neatly in a 30 minute episode!

I think the problem is that in Iraq, you're not seeing the time-edited version. They'll cut it down to under an hour for the DVD release.

It only takes that long because Steve keeps screwing it up.

My favorite TOH quote:

Steve: How come I always get called when there's a tub to carry up three flights of stairs?

Rich: It's because your hands are so soft.