The countdown has begun. Bush has not only thumbed his nose at the world but dropped his shorts and delivered a big steaming pile.

This is a terrible time to gloat as an American. Much of the world already views us as arrogant, greedy, and self-important and here Bush goes to prove them right.

Sure, Hussein is a bastard and a half but there are plenty other bastard-and-a-half dicktators out there yet we're not giving them ultimatums. Could it be there's something else involved? Could it be that our "liberation" of Iraq has another layer than simply removing a known camel buggerer from power?

Yep, here's comes the big "O" word - Oil.

Let's see. Qaddafi is a bastard and a half. Still in power. No oil.

Let's see. Castro is a bastard and a half. Still in power. No oil.

Kim Chong-il is a definite bastard and a half. Still in power. No oil.

Various bastards in Saudi Arabia who directly supported Al Qaeda. Plenty of oil but we're leaving them alone for now. They're our business buddies.

Hussein. Bastard? Yes. Oil? YES!

Remember Afghanistan? Evil Taliban. We got rid of them in our search for bin Laden. (He's gone - likely hiding in Pakistan until Bush finds him in time for the re-election campaign.) Are they an incredible democracy now? No. And what wonderful things are we doing in Afghanistan? What are our troops doing? Protecting a new OIL pipeline running through to Pakistan. Go UNOCAL!!

Oh certain Huns may claim: Hussein's evil. It's not about oil. We want democracy in the MIddle East.

Sure, we're "liberating" Iraq from the goodness of our hearts - oil's not a concern. What simple-minded Bushit! When you consider the Middle East you think of two topics: religion and oil. It is extremely unlikely that Democracy would hold in the Middle East because the area is primarily large rich Tribes holding sway over dirt poor followers. Our idea of installing democracy is putting someone in power who will do what we want. That's it. Heck, even if the new President is a bastard we won't care as long as he follows our wishes. We didn't give a flying when Hussein came to power. We knew he was a bastard but we didn't care! We were too busy selling him chemical and biological Weapons of Mass Destruction.

But, says Georgie B., Hussein is evil. He supports terrorists like Al Qaeda.

We're still waiting for the proof for that one. Considering the bin Laden tribe and the Hussein tribe kind of can't tolerate each other the proof may be a long time in coming. Notice how Bush hasn't continued with that lie.

If we don't go after Hussein who wins the Iraq oil? France, Russia, China, Germany but not the US and Briatin. If we take Iraq who controls the oil? US and Britain Who profits from destroying and rebuilding Iraq? Who profits from the oil? Haliburton, Fluor, Carlyle...essentially every company that has tithed a tad to their Boyz up on the Hill.

What's makes this war so agonizing is that...

- innocent people will be killed.

- innocent people won't be killed but will pay dearly while Bush et al will profit.

- the economic fallout will have a global effect. United Airlines may go bankrupt. Others may follow. Tourism will suffer. Unemployment will increase. I better buy Blockbuster (BBI) because staying home and watching videos may be only affordable entertainment for years to come.

- we criticize France, Germany, and Russia and portray them as darn near traitorous cowards. To stand up to our arrogance is anything but cowardice.

- Bush is mocking the U.N. and essentially telling other countries: Hey, develop some bitching weapons and you can do whatever the heck you want.

For shame that we have a President - illegally appointed - trampling our rights, lying to the world, and placing innocents in harms way. All for his own purposes. Notice I didn't mention the blatant illegality of Bush's War. It's just a big heaping pile but now as war looms near let's hope that it IS expeditious and effective. The sooner it hits the fan the sooner we can start cleaning the damn thing.

Peace - remember the concept!