There is a despot in Iraq

[sablefish]

ruling with an iron fist from the comfort of his luxury palace on the banks of the Tigris River. He oversees a ruthless military force and a web of repressive domestic "intelligence" thugs that have terrorized Iraqis for decades. His name is not Saddam Hussein; it's L. Paul Bremer.

Some like to call Bremer the governor of Iraq, others politely refer to him as the US Administrator. But what he really is is Saddam's successor. This week, as the US death toll in Iraq rose, as more Iraqi (and Iranian) civilians paid the heavy price of the occupation, Bremer had more pressing issues to attend to. He finally got around to fixing up that shabby old palace of his. He paid an Iraqi firm $27,000 to remove 4 larger than life busts of Saddam's head from the palace compound. "I've been looking at these for six months," said Bremer as the first head was being removed, "so I am delighted to see them coming down. We're sick of them."

In case you might be thinking that the weekend cleaning job at Bremer's riverfront mansion might not be the best use of US taxpayer dollars or that there may be more pressing needs in Iraq like electricity, clean water and education, there is something you have to understand. Bremer is just complying with the law.

"According to the rules of de-Baathification, they have to come down," said Charles Heatly, a spokesman for the occupation authorities. "Actually they are illegal."

ruling with an iron fist from the comfort of his luxury palace on the banks of the Tigris River. He oversees a ruthless military force and a web of repressive domestic "intelligence" thugs that have terrorized Iraqis for decades. His name is not Saddam Hussein; it's L. Paul Bremer.

Some like to call Bremer the governor of Iraq, others politely refer to him as the US Administrator. But what he really is is Saddam's successor. This week, as the US death toll in Iraq rose, as more Iraqi (and Iranian) civilians paid the heavy price of the occupation, Bremer had more pressing issues to attend to. He finally got around to fixing up that shabby old palace of his. He paid an Iraqi firm $27,000 to remove 4 larger than life busts of Saddam's head from the palace compound. "I've been looking at these for six months," said Bremer as the first head was being removed, "so I am delighted to see them coming down. We're sick of them."

In case you might be thinking that the weekend cleaning job at Bremer's riverfront mansion might not be the best use of US taxpayer dollars or that there may be more pressing needs in Iraq like electricity, clean water and education, there is something you have to understand. Bremer is just complying with the law.

"According to the rules of de-Baathification, they have to come down," said Charles Heatly, a spokesman for the occupation authorities. "Actually they are illegal."

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/1205-05.htm

[wtmusic]

1. I would have taken them down for $20,000

and I'm in the wrong business

[sablefish]

2. wtmusic.. Are you a player too?

I am in the wrong biz as you.. However most all of my money comes from commercial fishing these days.. But it used to come from doin' tunes in front of an audience.

And those were the best days of my life.

I would have been bidding against you for the contract to remove the statues.. However I doubt it was subjected to bids.. It is just another gift of four hours of labor to Halberton for $25K.. The way I figure it.