I'd be curious to know if you would have written the same letter to a woman who had lost a son or daughter, maybe a husband or parent to Saddam's madness?  The persons who write this blog appear to be a bit more well off than the average Iraqi family and so I imagine they're not too excited for change other than having Saddam removed.  Hardly a good representation of an all too oppressed society.

I read what you wrote several times and each time I came away with a sense that the Iraqi people were better off with Saddam in power.  It left me with the overwhelming feeling that we're the evil ones to be feared.  Do you really believe that?  Honestly? 

You harken back to the time of Mark Twain and Benjamin Franklin but I have to scratch my head and wonder how black American's would feel about going back to those days. 

Your letter oozed with self righteousness and condescention.  I'm still confused about the life haters comment.  Maybe you could expand on that.  Sorry to get ruffled but ruffled I was and no appoligies I make.

Have you put yourself in the shoes of the Iraqi people and if you have what would you want to happen?  Let's pretend for a moment that your sister was raped by one of Saddam's men or that your father was taken away and never heard from again.  It wasn't just your family which suffered because you can go on and on about friends of yours who have similar stories to tell.  You're helpless to do anything about it because you can't simply vote the bums out.  Can you?  You only know a life of oppression and actually, freedom seldom enters your rational thoughts because it's too difficult to entertain that idea knowing that in your lifetime it will never happen for you or your family. 

Violence is a comfortable pair of jeans you wear.  You wouldn't feel right without a being able to slip into a pair.  It's going to take a little time to break in this new pair of jeans called freedom but in time you'll begin to like their feel and you'll soon begin to wonder how you ever lived without them.

Kevin g