Democrats Say Leaving Iraq May Take Years

By JEFF ZELENY And MARC SANTORA
Published: August 12, 2007

DES MOINES, Aug. 11 — Even as they call for an end to the war and pledge to bring the troops home, the Democratic presidential candidates are setting out positions that could leave the United States engaged in Iraq for years.

John Edwards, the former North Carolina senator, would keep troops in the region to intervene in an Iraqi genocide and be prepared for military action if violence spills into other countries. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York would leave residual forces to fight terrorism and to stabilize the Kurdish region in the north. And Senator Barack Obama of Illinois would leave a military presence of as-yet unspecified size in Iraq to provide security for American personnel, fight terrorism and train Iraqis.

These positions and those of some rivals suggest that the Democratic bumper-sticker message of a quick end to the conflict — however much it appeals to primary voters — oversimplifies the problems likely to be inherited by the next commander in chief. Antiwar advocates have raised little challenge to such positions by Democrats.

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Gus: Iraq — the new 100 year war?  No winners except morticians... The inheritance from Bushit is a sad package of blood, guts and debts. If Bushit had an ounce of pride, he would resign now, take Cheney with him to stop himself from making more doozies. Some papers in the US call him Dumbo, not because he is a clumsy lovable elephant but because he's a dangerous clumsy dumb elephant in a china store called the world — with a trunk of Pinocchio nose aggrandisement, for the porkies told. But he's too dumb to recognise his own dumbness... that's the saddest part.

Howard urges Iraq to follow soccer team's lead

Prime Minister John Howard says Iraqis should follow the example of their nation's Asian Cup-winning soccer team as they struggle to lift their country from the mire of sectarian conflict.

Late last week Mr Howard wrote to his Iraqi counterpart Nouri al-Maliki, demanding he do more to work towards internal political reconciliation.

In the letter Mr Howard warned that public support for Australia's troop deployment might not be sustainable unless Iraq's leaders made political progress.

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Gus: If I remember correctly, the captain of the Iraqi team said sumpthin' to the effect of "US troops out of Iraq now", after his team's win... representing the feeling of most of the players and the people in his country... Thus, Mr Johneee of Howardistan, follow his winning lead and move out of Iraq.

Get rid of Johnnee... 

PM 'not behind Wikipedia edits'

Public servants have been found to have edited Wikipedia entries.

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet says Prime Minister John Howard did not ask any of his staff to edit online public encyclopedia Wikipedia.

Staff from the department have been found to have made edits to Wikipedia entries on topics such as the "children overboard" affair.

Treasurer Peter Costello's page was also edited, removing a reference to the nickname "Captain Smirk".

PM's Dept denies making Wikipedia changes

The head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet says changes to the internet encyclopedia Wikipedia were not made by anyone in his department or the Prime Minister's office.

A new tracking program has revealed what appeared to be more than 100 changes to the online encyclopedia by internet protocol addresses from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Topics edited included mandatory detention and the children overboard affair, leading to criticism about how public servants were being employed.

But the head of the department, Dr Peter Shergold, says the changes were not made by his staff.

He says the network address appearing next to the changes is that of another customer on the same internet service provider.

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Gus: the convenience store next door? What's in it for them?

From the BBC

Going forward, we must also remain aware of limitations of the data we access through the internet. Information on the web varies in quality from completely useless or even damaging to stunningly valuable.

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As mainstream info channels, from media to press release, from governments to pedlar's of goods, control the spin cycles, it is the duty of bloggers to challenge. It is our duty to expose the tricks of those who try to control our minds and manipulate our choices.

Sometimes these influences are good, but more often than not they have undertones that restrict proper knowledge... It is our duty to tell it with as much truth as possible. Our tools include the satire, the cartoon and the irreverence of the spruikers. It is our step to freedom via publishing our rants and those of others, even in the mainstream, who are not afraid to challenge the Establishment .

Armed with our personal experiences and hopefully wisdom, which, without an Internet audience, may never be shared beyond friends and relatives we can penetrate below the armour of those who turn opinion of knowledge into porkies.

It is our duty to expose the destruction of the planet, to challenge the warmongers and help those who share our concerns. Sometimes the boundaries between good and bad are blurred, but our own science and history can give us the proper clues as to where the greed lies and where the future is being muddled by ruthless characters...

It is our duty to expose and challenge relentlessly...

The Internet is our platform.