Bush links Hezbollah to Ali-Q

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Tw trying to paint Ho as "a strong American ally" misstates the situation. Is it not so that Ho adopted Communism in 1920 and never left it? America never saw an interest in supporting this Indochinese revolutionary.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I agree that Ho was not "a strong American ally", but it's because the US rebuffed his plea to be one. HE embraced the Communists early because it was the closest to the freedoms he witness in the US.

That said, he was above all a nationalist. He signed a treaty with the french to get the Chinese out, but immediately started driving the french out. When he had a chance he eliminated the other Viet Namese parties including the Russian allied Trotsky followers.

America never saw an interest in supporting anyone before WWII and not much after until Korea. After Korea, McCarthy made it impossible.

Ho only used the Communists as a tool to Nationalism and now capitalism like the Chinese.

[tw]

From the Washington Post of 18 September 2006 and reason to worry based upon statements originally attributed to Richard Holbrook:

Blasts in Kirkuk Kill 26; Police Bureau Destroyed
A wave of seven suicide car bombs and explosions rocked the oil-rich city of Kirkuk on Sunday, killing at least 26 people and wounding 85 others, police said.

The restive northern city -- considered a likely flash point for sectarian violence because of its combustible mix of Kurds, Arabs and Turkmens -- declared a state of emergency and hastily put up dozens of checkpoints to thwart further attacks, police Maj. Jalal Mahmood Aras said.

The attacks were the most recent bloodshed in a bitter struggle between Arabs and Kurds to take control of Kirkuk, the country's third-largest city. Iraq's new constitution calls for a referendum to determine whether the Kirkuk region will become a part of the Kurdish north.

Classic example of "Mission Accomplished" when a president is so dumb as to even declare "Americans don't do nation building". Yes, this violence demonstrates he successfully accomplished his mission - because he did not plan for the peace. Troops were given no support and no orders for seven months as another extremist - Bremmer - did nothing so as to condemn Iraq to the violence seen today. A mission George Jr never understood was inevitable and was accomplished due to his inactions.

[headsplice]

From way back in this thread:
"29. The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy. No more. No less."
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates
EDIT: Yes, there are more than seven.