Bush Passes The Baton

Having declared "Mission Accomplished", less that five years ago in Iraq, President Bush is now seeking to pass the baton for this costly never-ending war to the next president of the United States.

Bush said that if the United States is defeated in Iraq then "the Taliban in Afghanistan and al-Qaeda in Pakistan would grow in confidence and boldness. And violent extremists around the world would draw the same dangerous lesson they did from our retreats in Somalia and Vietnam."

Notwithstanding his partisan view of history, the US was right to leave Vietnam. Regrettably for the troops fighting in Iraq they will be there for many years to come.

Senator Edward Kennedy said:

"It's abundantly clear that President Bush is simply trying to run out the clock and hand off the mess to the next president."

Mission Not Accomplished!

Happy Anniversary?

Iraq greeted the fifth anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein with violence and Baghdad under curfew.

Fighting broke out after midnight in Sadr City, the eastern Baghdad stronghold of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, killing six people and wounding at least 15.

US general David Petraeus stated, during testimony to the US Congress yesterday, that further troop withdrawals should be held back for at least 45 days after completing the pullout of the "surge" forces by July.

US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker warned that the "achievements" of the surge were "reversible."

Like it or not, the US will have to pull out at some stage and allow Iraq to find its own path to the future.

Sculpture Destroyed

The sculpture named after Saddam Hussein's first wife (Sajida Talfah), that was unveiled in Napoleon Garden, Holland Park, west London in February has been burned down.

Kensington and Chelsea Council paid £2,000 for the installation.