Right dead on, Don. Excellent point and excellent post. One of the things I resent most about Newt Gingrich and his crowd is that they hijacked and redefined patriotism. Love of country and community DOES NOT equate with the "Love it or Leave it" mentality. In point of fact, in the American way of thinking, love of country often equates with flying in the face of popular opinion. It is the beauty of the American experiment.

My brother Jed, has started a great thread. But his predicate is only half right IMO. He lays it all at the feet of the media. In a capitalist society, the media is doing exactly what it should. They are playing to their market. And they are opportunistic, as they should be. If, in the event, it became more profitable to be critical, they would do that. Quit being so pissy about that, my Republican friend. It is the natural product of the laissez faire, "keep out of my business" attitude. I don't blame them, even though I don't like it. Whom I blame is very simple. I am disgusted by those who manipulate this event to justify their political ends. I am disgusted by those who are so damn quick to send our young men and women in harms way. Do I think Saddam is a threat and must be removed? Sure. But it never had to come to this. He is a two bit dictator who rules with the carrot and the stick. Remove either of those and he can't rule. We left the job undone. And then we encouraged the Kurds and others to resist, then we abandoned them. Our policies caused untold misery among those who wanted to carry the water to remove him.

Some scabs are worth picking.

Mick