Edwin Starr died the other day..
I wonder if Bush and Blair sent him a letter before he finally gave up, explaining what it's good for.

I can't say that I blame Edwin for his timing. They've been playing his "best known hit" on every local radio station out there.. because that's the right-on thing to do..

Isn't it?

You see I've been holding off on writing anything on this war for a good while, I'm still not really sure how I stand on the whole thing.. The truth is, this is the most opinion dividing war that I can remember, let's look at it.

1. Saddam is a very bad man.

Guiding a cruise missile via GPS into his cornflakes would be a good thing.

2. That said, Bush isn't the greatest of men.

This guy claims to be a Christian and then gives the Pope a V sign.. and not a peaceful one.
Plus, deep down, everyone suspects that he's only going after the man "Who Shot His Pa".

Maybe a stray tomahawk in his Rice Krispies wouldn't be too bad... Friendly Fire and all that.

3. Oil

We all want it... Saddam has it... Let's secure it for the easily intimidated Eye-raqi people.

4. We see an opportunity to disagree with the French and the Germans..

5. Everyone loves a good war

... and Steven Spielberg only made a family comedy this year.

So to sum up.

We're

Against the war and the murder of innocent people.

but

For the 24hr coverage of stuff being blown up on CNN.

Which leads to moral ambiguity, (or "not being done deciding" for our readers in Texas).

Of course, none of this is helped by the strangest and downright comical news coverage that I've ever witnessed. My personal favourite at the moment is "The Wacky Iraqi", the information minister.

This is the man who, with coalition artillery rattling the walls, told the world that the "invaders" were "nowhere near Baghdad"... the same man who assured the world that Baghdad/Saddam International Airport had been recaptured and the American forces there had been "destroyed"... not too bad on it's own but the BBC were broadcasting from the airport simultaneously and interviewing an American officer. What did the officer say when he heard that they had been destroyed? " Great, tell him ( the information minister) to drive on over then".

I am behind the troops, I wouldn't fancy being out in the middle of that desert dodging suicide bombers and Mr Magoo alike American pilots. Some of these lads are younger than they have any right to be in their circumstances.. they were probably being sent to bed before the news during Gulf War 1.

I was still mucking about with water pistols at their age.. I'd never heard of a laser guided bunker buster, let alone fired one. So they deserve to have us all behind them, I don't think that this is the time for us to be out protesting about the War, our forces are out there fighting and dying and whether it's in our name or not we should be behind them.

Blocking roads is not a way to win support for the anti-war movement. It's a great way to make people late for work, but then I don't think that would worry an anti-war protester.. ALDI aren't too strict with their shelf stacking staff nowadays.. .I just really think that if you really want to affect British foreign policy, irritating 20,000 Mancs on a Monday morning isn't the best way to do it... Tony doesn't care if the roads are congested.. He's got a helicopter.

So whatever the reasons behind the US attack on Iraq we're all going to watch the TV and hold our own opinions and keep our fingers crossed that North Korea quiet down.

Wait, I've figured it out. Bush wants an Emmy. He figures that the reality T.V award is his.
I just hope no one turns him down with the words... "It'd take all the tea in China".

Now that'd be one hell of a blockbuster.

Mike

This report was not monitored by the Iraqi authorities and my movements are not restricted, unless I'm wearing tight pants.