Neocon apologist Thomas Friedman wrote a fake letter to Iraq, in which Bush acted all apologetic and said that the because of internal troubles, he had to leave, and the Iraqi people were now on their own.

The column has generated a lot of comments, mostly critical, reminding Friedman that he was one of the original cheerleaders for the invasion, but my remark got the coveted blue highlighting as an editor's selection. :)

Here's the original column, if you can read it without upchucking,

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/24friedman.html

My response is #177.

Damn, you're good!

Friedman jumped the shark way back when he backed Bush's war on Iraq. I never liked him, but that was the end of him for me.

You really write so well. You should do more of it.

Congrats!

little old me

This is comment177 from above.

Dear President Bush:

Who asked you to come over here, anyway? Sure, we had a dictator, but one who was par for the course in this region. We had a functioning society, no Al Qaeda activities, no innocent people being blown away at your military checkpoints, and no religious or ethnic "cleansing." We could go grocery shopping without fear of being blown up in the marketplace.

For all your bragging about how "girls are going to school in Iraq," we had had equal education for girls for years (You must be confusing us with Afghanistan--or playing upon the geographic ignorance of the typical American), and women were free to go around without hijab. Now look--they hardly dare to go outside for fear of being raped or killed.

You disrespected our culture, allowing the looting of one of the great archeological collections of the world and setting up your military encampments next to priceless archeological sites. You sent us an occupying army that doesn't speak our language or understand our culture, mostly ignorant young people who've never been out of their home county.

So here's my suggestion, President Bush, just get your troops and your intended 14 permanent military bases out of here and let us work things out for ourselves. Sure, there will be bloodshed, but countless numbers of our countrymen haven't died already, and we'll be able to work something out eventually on our own terms.

Besides, the money that you've been wasting over here in sweetheart deals with your friends who own the private contracting companies is desperately needed in your own country.

Signed,
The People of Iraq

— pdxtran, Minneapolis

It is good to remind the obnoxious Mr.Friedman that there are sentient beings out here who are aware of history and are keeping tabs on his mind droppings.