AMERICANS WAKING UP,SLOWLY: a new poll shows 39% (up from 32% last month!) wanting to BRING TROOPS HOME NOW! (58%--down from 64% last month--say we should stay in until the country is 'stabilized'.). 4 in 10 say that the News Media are painting our project too pessimistically. /USATODAY22OCT.
It may be that many of the 58% who still say 'stay in'--they may believe Bush's pollyanna words and think we'll only have to 'stay in' for a short time.
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The poll would be more honest if they asked, "Should we stay in for several more years, with a few GIS killed every week and more than a dozen maimed or wounded (with 2 in 10 of the wounded suffering severe brain injury--a fate perhaps worse than death) ?" (Our Gen.Sanchez: "We'll sustain casualties as long as we stay here.")
Rumsfeld's memo to his senior aides says we're in for a long, hard slog in Iraq and--lest we forget!--also in Afghanistan. [USATODAY22OCT]
(Other Bush-team flaks rushed to downplay his pessimism.) / FinTimes22OCT
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Virginia has voted for Republican Presidents since 1964. Nevertheless, support for Bush has dropped from 68% (13 months ago) to 51% today. /RichmondTimes/Leader25OC
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Why should the typical American want to continue this 'slog'? He won't benefit, though the big Oil Companies might.
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The Iraqis won't benefit, because we can't maintain law'norder there (600-800 violent deaths per month now in Baghdad, vs. 6 a month under Saddam).
Guerilla attacks have surged to thirty-five each day ! in the last 3 weeks, says Gen.Sanchez. /GUARDIAN22OCT
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Whatever the Iraqis need--perhaps a dictator!--they don't need our unlucky, badly trained GIs--they and their officers don't understand a word of Arabic!