tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125945.post6636279462629162628..comments2023-10-04T06:38:11.944-04:00Comments on The Curmudgeon Speaks: ChoiceMichael Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193002402331133958noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125945.post-29635798110013234302006-11-10T08:43:00.000-05:002006-11-10T08:43:00.000-05:00Actually, these cycles tend to be 12-20 cycles, it...Actually, these cycles tend to be 12-20 cycles, it takes about that long for the party in power to become totally corrupt. (Power corrupts -- and as Bush II and Richard Nixon have shown, absolute power corrupts absolutely.) <br /><br />As to Friedman's piece, I did get the opportunity to read it, but only because the generally unworthy Times Select is free (advertiser-supported) this week only. I agree with Friedman on many things (and with Frank Rich on more), and he comes close to the point here. The real point is that Iraq is a fake nation, put together by the British nation builders after WWI out of what were previously and what should have been three separate nations/tribes/regions. The Brits held it together by force for awhile, as did the Shah, as did Saddam Hussein. (There's something to be said for evil dictators...) With the brutal rule gone, the country has returned to its tribal roots. It's not, as Friedman argues, that it needs to be a three-part country, it's that it needs to be three countries, as it originally was. <br /><br />But that's just my opinion.Michael Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09193002402331133958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125945.post-41144463056706082892006-11-09T17:15:00.000-05:002006-11-09T17:15:00.000-05:00See you again in 2, 4 or 6 years, whenever the Dem...See you again in 2, 4 or 6 years, whenever the Democrats wear out their welcome. Then we'll start this whole merry-go-round all over again!<br /><br />Btw, did you read Tom Friedman's piece on the Iraq war in the paper today? I think he's got a great perspective on all this.Joe Wikerthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02898067591293359566noreply@blogger.com