11/29   The hunt for weapons of mass destruction related program activities in
        Iraq continues. 619 days and counting.
        \_ The flogging of a dead horse continues, 619 days and counting.
           \_ Well I still have not heard Republican spokesmen admit that the
              rationale for the war was a complete sham.
              \_ "everyone thought they were there" "we know he had them,
                 we sold it to him" "he intended to get them" blah blah
                 \_ But you don't hear "We were wrong.  We distorted the
                    evidence."
                    \_ Um, haven't you read the Duelfer report?  We were wrong,
                       without distorting evidence.
                       \_ Not to disagree with you, but the Senate report on
                          pre-war intelligence on Iraq blamed it all on the
                          "Intelligence Community" (CIA, NSA, DoE, FBI, etc.).
                          Sample:
                          Conclusion 2.  The IC did not accurately or
                          adequately explain to policymakers the uncertainties
                          behind the judgments in the Oct 2002 National
                          Intelligence Estimate.
           \_ Why is it a dead horse? Aren't we still in Iraq, killing
              civilians, losing troops and wasting American lives and
              money? Must suck to have the blood of 100,000 innocent
              civilians on your hands. I did everything I could to stop
              Bush, but because of idiots like you, America went to war.
              \_ This is patently absurd.  If you did everything you could to
                 stop Bush, why is he alive and you unincarcerated?
                 \_ Okay, I did everything I could within the law.
                    Pedantic bitch.
                    \_ I find your lack of resolve... disappointing.
        \_ "I wasn't happy when we found out there wasn't weapons, and we've
           got an intelligence group together to figure out why.  But Saddam
           Hussein was a unique threat. And the world is better off without
           him in power. And my opponent's plans lead me to conclude that
           Saddam Hussein would still be in power, and the world would be more
           dangerous." -Dubya
                \_ The founding fathers would be happy to know that eventually
                   such a proficient orator is running the country they
                   started.
                   \_ Oh please.  Jefferson was terrible in public.
                      I think there's too much hero worship of the FFs
                      going on in the US.  They were intelligent men,
                      some were even great men, but not without rather
                      distasteful personal or functional flaws (like, you
                      know, everybody else). -- ilyas
                      \_ If you want to know why there is ilyas bashing,
                         this is a sample of what elicits it.
                         \_ ilyas bashing happens for the same reason
                            flamewars happen on the internet.  Lots of
                            bored people physically insulated from the
                            people they are spittling at.  Try to start
                            a flamewar, or 'bash' someone at a bar sometime,
                            tough guy.  -- ilyas
                            \_ the context of the original question was lost.
                               it is, paraphrased:  "Why ilyas-bashing more
                               than tom-bashing?"