THE GREAT DEBATE THAT NEVER WAS

When Dan Rather interviewed the late Saddam Hussein months before Shock & Awe, the dictator suggested an American-style debate with President Bush to be broasdcast worldwide. The two leaders would have addressed the issues of WMD, terrorist connections and Iraq's perceived threat to its neighbors.

Saddam challenged Bush to talk it over, instead of exchanging threats and insults. But our president didn't say no, he just cut and ran. Why? Didn't George Bush have truth on his side, as well as God? Didn't he hold the high cards of morality, freedom and goodwill while Saddam was merely a leader in the Axis of Evil?

The debate might have served as a witness to the world, produced peaceful solutions and saved thousands of lives.

The debate's interpreter might have had trouble with Bushspeak, and Saddam just might have debated W out of the building, but even if Bush had lost face in the debate, we all would be much better off today.

You'll recall that Bush said, "I want to beat Saddam because he tried to kill my daddy." George W. was focused on what he wanted, not what we needed.

Now we'll have more than a year of debates about the issues which a Bush-Saddam debate could have settled.

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Thoughts While Jaywalking

* Senator Harry Reid drew heavy fire with his remark:"The war is lost." Can we be honest about this, just for once? HIS STATEMENT WAS TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT. Immediately after taking a breath, Reid said, "We need political and diplomatic solutions." His total remarks were quite temperate, no? Then how can those who tolerated "The mission is accomplished" and "Bring 'em on" be so critical of Harry Reid? Because they don't want to end the occupation of Iraq, that's why. Not yet. The oil fields are still not quite secure and we have not finished building our 14 military bases there.

* Ex CIA director George Tenet is the latest administration insider to turn on the Cheney, excuse me, Bush presidency. So now, of course, he is an idiot. The public is beginning to focus on Cheney as the engineer of the false WMD threat.

* Cheney and Rumsfeld were close buddies on this. Call it the Cheney/Rummy War.

* May Day, May Day. The Commies are parading in Cuba and Fidel hasn't shown up. He must be out of it to be so out of it.

Meetings & Events

Nothing happening today.

Help Wanted

The City of St. George, Roundabout Capital of the World, is looking for a tour guide to visit the roundabouts and explain the history, the evolution, the magic.

Twenty-Years-From-Now News

* The entire function of the Utah State Legislature has been outsourced to China, the fountain of all ancient and modern wisdom. The newly retired legislators do have hefty pensions, so don't worry.

* Bill Clinton and Al Gore met at a party and had to be introduced. They hadn't seen each other since Clinton's last day as president, when he pardoned all of those criminals.

Quote of the Day

"To be ignorant of one's ignorance is the malady of the ignorant." - Amos Bronson Alcott