hrmmmmmmm.... okay -- Brian and Squirt, you know what: You guys got me on my "military solidiers as volunteers, not victims" stuff. You guys are technically right on a lot of points. I am not Deanna Troi. I do not have Betazoid powers and have not scanned the minds of all the soldiers to determine that they are volunteers eager to fight in combat. Zing!

However, on the other hand, I think you guys are kinda overreacting here. Some recruits may feel like they have gotten a raw deal. But just look at the troops and the actions overall. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, they very much know what they are doing when they enlist. It's like when guys start sleeping with other guys, they aren't tricked into tricking. You know what you are doing.

Plus, compare that to the Vietnam War, where there really was revolt in the trenches. You do not see that here with Iraq, beyond occasional instances which I am sure you would find in any situation. In fact, if they feel misled and tricked, wouldn't the military ballots have voted against Bush? Go look and see who won the vote totals in Fort Hood, Texas - where their Army infantry division has had a lot of deaths in Iraq. You will not see blue....

And with Vietnam you had huge revolt at the polls. LBJ went from a historic 1964 election to leaving disgraced and humiliated in 1968. Note that the 1968 and the 2004 elections have one interesting similarity ---- they were all about the war at that time.

I loved watching Rumsfeld getting grilled that razor question by the soldier on the armored hum-vees. And actually, I kinda think he did too.

I know it is all a matter of perspective. My main beef here was to try to dispell the draft fog. I guess we can all agree that if things go really badly in Iraq next year - the Republicans will be in deep shit. And a lot can go wrong. I guess a lot depends on how that end of January election goes.

Steve