Mendoza's Book Club: Think Oprah Style

I just finished reading A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. Great read, not too long and rather captivating. The author tells of his childhood in Sierra Leone before, during and after civil war. Before I read the book, I thought the children were enslaved by the government or rebel military. That was not the case, this guy essentially chose to fight because he was given food, shelter and protection. Something he did not have for months when he lived day by day in the forest trying to avoid starvation or death at the hands of rebels. This book will make you truly empathize with the author as he takes you through his unfortunate journey. He finally made an unlikely escape to New York City and now, at the age of 27, is an advocate for those similarly situated.

Propaganda 101

The propaganda machine is cranking. Either that or Cheney is simply crazy.

Well, I look at it and see it is actually an affirmation that there are parts of Iraq where things are going pretty well

I would feel sorry for this administration at their pathetic attempts at trying to put a good face on this situation, if they weren't such arrogant, incompetent, self serving individuals. So the Brits pulling out is a positive thing, right? The establishment of order in Basra and Southern Iraq would be a positive event, if the VP is correct. I have more reason to disbelieve than believe anything coming out of this administration. But considering the chaos in Baghdad and elsewhere,(i.e. the Kurds essentially carving out their own country) wouldn't it follow that the Brits would offer to place those troops, the ones in Basra, in other areas that badly need help. I mean, if things were going as well as the VP says, why wouldn't the Brits want to finish the job that, according to the VP, is going so well? Realistically, the Brits are cutting their losses. They do not have the stomach that we all need to figure out a way to establish order in Iraq. And the end result is additional harm to American troops.