Well, even though I can't consider myself an esteemed expert, I'll have to speak to him from a grassroots but still cabinet level. Mr President, I'm that small voice inside your ear. Write this one off man. Once the Iraqis are on their somewhat wobbly, newborn legs and can shoot back at every Nationality of insurgents in the Middle East, withdraw only after the UN agrees to fill in the vacuum. Broadcast to the world that you're successful in your mission, and let UN pilots patrol the inevitable no-fly zones along the Iranian, Pakistani, and Syrian border. Now that shoulder fired missiles are as prolific as steroids at a weightlifting exhibition, a few planes will be lost but, heck, we can sell them more. Forget all the hoopla from Israel's neighbors, the world knows the Jews have nukes and are pissed off enough to use them to "soften" a few Capital cities.

After this unpleasant experience in the Middle East, and soon Europe, maybe you should consider a troublesome hearing ailment when it comes to a boots on the ground problem except for maybe the Allied Nations who showed their backbone while in this conflict. Don't bother with the UN, they'll be too busy for the next millennium or so.

Mr. President, does this sound like something you could consider? It will be a real problem for detractors and news media, but they never liked you anyhow.

OK...IG first. One of the most ultra-conservative Catholic websites is:

http://www.ratzingerfanclub.com/justwar/

It lists topics with stacks of on-line references and resources - mostly speeches by the popes and leading Catholic churchmen. Under the topic "Just War," I can't find any quotes from Saint John Paul the Great, that approved of military intervention in Iraq either in 1991 or 2003. Not that he was ever on the side of tyranny or tyrants like Saddam. He simply lamented that anyone, anywhere, anytime, had to go to war at all and urged diplomatic efforts everytime, all-the-time. Now, I personally support any efforts (incl. military) by the US/Coalition of nations, to removed any mass murdering leader, when the people of the mass murderer don't have the means to remove the mass murderer themselves ie. Iraq. I can't find any references to St. John Paul II "blessing" the war in Iraq but if IG can find them I would like to see them and would then stand corrected. Pope John Paul II was a holy man and a man of peace. Although I support forced removal of Saddam and any mass murdering tyrant, I was not surprised that His Holiness prayed for and urged all leaders concerned not to go to war. IG is completely correct about the pope and Church's fear about an Iraqi war igniting and all-out, world-wide Christian vs Islam war. I believe this could eventuate anyway but not because of Iraq as just as many Islamic leaders (Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Indonesia) wanted rid of Saddam too.

Now my advice to the President on the Supreme Court vacancy is that it is too risky to go with someone who does not have a track record serving on any bench at any level of the judiciary. The risk of not knowing how a Justice-nominee will stand on judicial matters decreases when you are able to view their record and experience - ie. the pattern they follow over their judicail career. Harriet Miers has no bench experience. She may turn out to be very good, if by very good we mean a judge who acts as an umpire/referee not as an unelected player pushing an ideology. Also, it makes it harder to get her confirmed because even Republican supporters of the President in Congress will get jittery over an unknown nominee whose only reason for getting the nod has less to do with any judicial ability and more to do with just being a good personal friend of the President. I just think it is a bad move when there are others of higher caliber and where their record and experience is on the board for everyone - Democrat & Republican, to see.

Originally Posted by Padre

I can't find any quotes from Saint John Paul the Great, that approved of military intervention in Iraq either in 1991 or 2003. I can't find any references to St. John Paul II "blessing" the war in Iraq but if IG can find them I would like to see them and would then stand corrected.

I know, that's what I said, I was referring to the War on Serbia, not on Iraq. I specified that.

Originally Posted by Italian Guy

I know, that's what I said, I was referring to the War on Serbia, not on Iraq. I specified that.

OK IG, fair enough - thanks

Can we hear from some of the experts regarding some internal issues say in regards to FEMA? What should I (cough cough) be doing now?

Originally Posted by bulldogg

Whispering Death, you're fired and you're indicted, see you in court.

Hey, you never indicted Brown and you didn't fire Rumsfeld or Carl Rove. Hell, you just apointed Hariet Myers to the Supreme Court because she used her relationship with you to your advantage. Hell, I hardly believe it that you, Mr. Bush, would refuse to allow me to take a high paying comfy gov't job just because I'm a close friend of yours!

I see the Secret Service did NOT get the memo... ok, WD what do you wish to advise me (hack cough hack) on? Make it snappy the grand jury hearing commences in an hour and I know you don't want to be late to your big debut.