Where did he get all the chemical weapons?

If the US government knows that timing for the execution is not right, why hand him over to the Iraqi? How many more errors does your commander in chief will make? I respect that he wants to honor the Iraqi rules but will be honor the demand for US withdraw, as Muktada wants in June 07? I think Saddam was an allied with the US on the war on Terror. Look back, Iraq never harbor terrorist until the US invaded it. Saddam uses whatever means he could to keep the country together even though we do not agree with some of his persecutions he did what he could.

Now you have Hezbolla in Lebanon, Hamas in Palestine and now a large Siet Mellisha group in Iraq created by the US. Now a stronger Shiet in Iran and Iraq where does the US stands?

Looks like yesterday we carried a campaing against the Sunnis and killed 50 of them. Wow Bush is doing great supporting the shites that hate the Americans!!!! Bush still can't get it right!!!! he shufles and re-shufles the military but I still manages to support of the Shite mulitia a round about way. What an IDIOT!

Well, if old G Dubbya has his way, we should get comfortable with our presence in Iraq. It appears he's putting down DEEP roots and trying to coerce our State Dept. personnel into joining the fun. Check out this article. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/44bb3006-9e80-11db-ac03-0000779e2340.html

Clovis, are you saying that because I am not in the military or affected physically by this war, that I have no say?

You are a traitor, Clovis. You want me to give up my rights because it is 'war time'. BS. This 'War on Terror' is like the 'War on Drugs'. It will never end, and is used as an excuse for government to gain more power over the citizens.

Therefore, I reject your claims and will only become louder with my complaints about this Iraq Investment.

Ok, so if hanging bad political figures is the solution then when will U.S. Invade Russia and hang Putin (i bet you ppl already forgot the ex-spy and jornalist who were killed trying to expose his evil deeds). What about the guy in N. Korea with the hair the looks like Kramer from Seinfeld (Kim Jong? Ping Pong ?)? Or the U.S troops are afraind of some nuclear warheads?
What about Pinochet ? Saddams' sentence came out like a lighting bolt. But Pinochet's took so long that the old man got tired of waiting and just died.

What about Bush's long time friend Ariel Sharon ? He tried to do to palestines what Hitler did to the Jews. U.S is showing itself to be like mercenaries, if it's of their interest they will go there and help, otherwise they will let die or kill...

Bob Baghdad, it was great to read your blog. I always scan these blogs for someone who acctually knows what is going on (usually someone that lives in Iraq). As an American I understand that every culture is different outside the U.S. I lived in a third-world country for a few years and before I went there people told be very judgmental things. I knew it couldn't be true. It turned out that I love those people as my own. I hold no judgemental thoughts of the people there. I have no connections with the Iraqi culture, I am of a completely different religion, but you are humans and that is why I care. The ciizens are who I am concerned about, I want to know what they think. (By saying what I just said I will get a lot of hate repies, but I stand by my words) I have heard remarks of hatred toward us by the Iraqis, but 80% of the time I have heard that they now have hope for a new beginning.

Please keep posting the good news, it is people like you that give people like me hope that this war is not for nothing.

I served with many units around the world, US, Germany,Iraq, Panama, Grenada. Many of my friends both living and dead did the same and far beyond. I would have to say that while in Iraq, and in several other countries now being occupied by the US after some major war or minor conflict, I have first hand experience with living, reading about, or watching the war crimes tribunals after each deployment. It has been my shared honor to watch another gastly dictator pay the price for his sins. I will also pay for mine I am sure. After having been deployed around the world both during and after the conflicts, religious or political, I have seen the rebuilding of these countries and what the US and its partners have done in the way of support for the infrastucture and believe me the after picture (freedom for women and men, libraries for crying out loud, water sanitation, lights ! The right to pray and not die for your beliefs !) is much better....In the US I can go to Walmart and buy what ever book I want, write about it or even demonstrate against it.....If a Saddam,Hitler,Binladen,has to die, on or off the news, to keep my family free..so be it....where ever...
Dachau, Auschwitz, Bergan-Belzen, Kurdistan, Somalia,Vietnam are all places that didn't or don't have Walmarts, all of these places started under the absolute rule of someone who deserved far more than they received on judgement day.....I like Walmart, I fought for the right to shop there....I have never seen anyone flogged or shot for going to Walmart...have you...?

This is an outstanding piece, with one exception. If Westerners were "enlightened" we wouldn't have found ourselves anywhere near this situation. But then again, we can't judge an entire people by their crazed leaders.Perhaps if the moans of disappointment and dissaproval turn to shouts,perhaps our leaders that can curb Bush can put an end to this.

To David D., Miami:
To answer the question were he got the chemical weapons:
There was a fellow called Mertins- i can't remember his first name. Around the beginning of the 1980's, the DPP in Germany (*West* at the time) began to investigate a number of companies for breaches of the war-weapons control act and the foreign trade act. Since a normal police-officer knows nothing about chemistry or about chemical plants, the DPP approached the BND (Bundesnachrichtendienst, Federal intelligence-service) with the question if they could help out. The BND in turn got in touch with this character Mertins: he had done work for them before, and he owned a chemical plant. The idea was that he would be able to become involved with the relevant circles; in order to "blend in", he would sell a few things himself. He would then provide the DPP with the neccessary information to enable them to start proceedings against the offending companies.
Some time later, it was discovered that Mertins was selling materials for the production of chemical weapons to Iraq- on a grand scale. The DPP therefore startet an investigation into his activities, but that investigation was stopped dead in its tracks by the BND.
Shortly after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Mertins was arrested- for breaches of the war-weapons control act, and the foreign trade act. It turned out that this one man had effectively sold almost two-thirds of *all* the chemical weapons which Saddam Hussein received, and of the materials and machinery for the production of those weapons.("All" in this case refers not only to German materials, but to literally everything that was ever delivered to Iraq).
Not long after, the trial-judge received a visit from a number of BND-officers, who demanded that all information linking this man to the intelligence-services should be disallowed in court. The trial-judge threw them out of his office.
Within weeks, all files relating to this man disappeared during a break-in. The trial subsequently collapsed.(Source: Deutsche Welle radio)
At the relevant time- i.e., the 1980's- it was a recognised fact that Germany did not have any independant foreign policy, with the sole exception of Willy Brandt's "Ost-Politik".
Working on the assumption that secret service-operations are a form of foreign policy, i am left with the conclusion that this entire scheme cannot have been cooked up solely by the BND; and considering that the government of Helmut Kohl at the time was a staunch ally of the US, i have to conclude that it would hardly have been something cooked up by his administration.
Work it out for yourselves.

Oh please, you haven't turned a corner. The whole thing is an unmitigated disaster. Jim how can you still be so naive? Did you swallow the initial lies told to start this catastrophic war?

Only when you stop focusing on all the red herrings - evil Saddam, non-existent WMDs, democracy blah blah blah - and finally focus on the real reason for the Iraq war, oil, will you ever get anywhere. Only then will you find the will to try and stop the sacrifice of lives at the altar of mindless consumption.

Once you acknowlede that oil and greed were the prime motivators of those in power, you can start to look at the treasonous lies told to start an illegal war, choose to end it and hold those responsible accountable. You cannot win a war based on lies, it's as simple as that. There is no just cause for this war. I'm flabbergasted that the US can be so wilfully ignorant and stupid as a nation. It is a cliche, but only the truth will set you free from this mess.

It is amazing how polite and pathetic the Democrats and mainstream media are. So gullible and trusting! Wake up, there is a drunk at the wheel of the biggest ship of fools in history. Really, to be so ill-informed in the information age is inexcusable.

Rubin from Pacifico CA gets it right. The biggest enemy we have as Americans is the so-called "MSM" (main stream media). They are a powerful propaganda machine for the left. Thank God for the internet and Cable television and AM radio. The daily steady spewing of left wing liberal anti_American propaganda is accepted as the truth without question by many Americans. We don't hear or see any positive stories and reports such as those from Bob (in) Baghdad. Educate your children well or the end of America as we know it will be at hand. And keep supporting our mission and our troops. Fight terrorism and liberalism.
It will be interesting to see if this is posted. Quite often, posts criticizing the MSM are not.

Why don,t we just police the whole world.

Al-Maliki and Al-Sadr act like they are best of friends, because they are, they are Shiites with similar agendas. Maliki is part of Sadr militia in a suit. If Bush still can't understand how politics play in Iraq how can he understand the Shiites agendas and goals. More troops and more American lives is not the answer. The answer is to get rid of the militia thugs this includes Maliki. Bush can depose Saddam but he proves he can't depose a Shiite militia. Iraqi government spokesman Al-Dabagh said today at a Rich Angel interview “Iraqi government didn’t ask but we think that increasing the troops will help to improve the security situation in Bagdad,”. Of course Iraqis didn’t ask for more troops because they don’t need Americans to bid on their agendas. But the Iraqi government will play along as long as they stay in power and Americans leave as soon as possible. What is the top Iraqi Shiite Agenda? To clean up with the Sunnis this is their very top priority. Sunnis are their thorn and soar for their Islamic religious goals.

Mr. President Bush nice speech trying to make Americans feel better but your words have always been empty. In Iraq the Prime Minister Al-Maliki is the link to the Islamic extremist and the Iraqi president Jalal Talabani has the backbone of a worm, how can you win in Iraq with such individuals? Mr. Bush you’ve talked with these leaders over and over in the past what makes you think they are going to listen to you now? They know is all politics for the American people and you are not going to persuade them with another one of your “strong speeches” no! They all would rather die before they bow down to you Mr. Bush. Don’t you understand they hate you and what you stand for and all these extremist have to do is wait a little longer until you are out.

Sean Torrington CT. I think you missed the point I was trying to make. I never said you have no say in what our country does, and I never said you don't have a right to question the war. I never asked you to give up any rights. I'm sorry if you took it that way. What I'm saying is that the people who serve have a much higher stake in this than your average person. Don't you think they deserve a say too?
If I'm a traitor because I support our troops then I'm guilty as charged.

bush doesn't care about americans or iraqi's -he wants to keep making his oil money and money for his buddies. thousands of innocent civillians have been killed and now there will be thousands more. there's a civil war going on and we made it possible. saddam kept that country together -most of the evil things he did, the american goverment made possible; thats why he was only charged with one crime because too many had ties to america. bush is the worst president ever!

A little reminder Mr. President Bush, Hezbollah a Shiite a hero for the extremist of Al-Sadr and Al-Maliki has been able to defy the Western governments weaponry and what westerners call “young democracy’s” this is the very reason they are still growing in power in the region. You are out of time to fix the Shiite terrorist threat. You see Mr. Bush we can fight with the sword and are very good at it but we can’t fight ideology because it is not about taking one government out in replacing it with another one. Therefore there are no heroes here the blood that is being shed is a calamity and even though we may not want to pay the consequences our children we love dearly are left to reap the disaster of a selfish ambition.

President Bush make it simple on your-self get rid of Maliki and his thugs and all Al-Sadr militias. Like you said in one of your speeches to the world "If you are not with us your against us” You need to live up to what you say and be in unison with the American people. Having Al-Maliki in power is like having Hezbollah leading Lebanon. Why spend the money and having to send more American troops when you already have what it takes to do the job. You don't need anymore.

Look what happen in Palestine people got their way and voted the thugs ‘Hammas” the Islamic extremists. People in Lebanon are in an uproar to put Hezbollah in power also Islamic extremists. We didn’t learn anything when the President of Iran the Shaw was taken out of power by Islamic extremist. Now we are in Iraq and the population voted a thug “Al-Maliki”. The world can clearly see Islamic extremism is gaining momentum and with amazement we are feeding the fire. Can we see and understand that Democracy is not a universal language. Let us stop fooling ourselves in thinking that people from other regions that are tribal run faction can vote their next leader. In Iraq lets choose the best person to govern over all three ethnic groups and get out.

I am amazed at the things I'm hearing about whining to get out of Iraq. After 9-11-2001 the overwhelmingly vast majority of Americans(none were hyphenated at the time) were all for going after the perpetrators and backed our president almost unanimously, as well they should have. At that time, as we were gearing up to strike back at those who struck at us Mr. Bush and others told the American people this would be a long and bloody fight, that lives would be lost and that it would take years, not months to fight this to the end. All of America said basically "Go get 'em, we'll back you all the way!". So with the overwhelming support of the American people President Bush took action after fully warning the people of the costs and sacrifices involved in proceeding.
Now the American people with what I call the "Microwave Mentality" (Meaning we don't have the patience to wait for anything.) because it isn't happening soon enough, want to just give up and come home. Not our troops mind you, the people, or at least some of them.
To those who whine it's taking too long I'd like to say this. We as Americans made a commitment to get this job done and see it through til it is done right. So keep your whining to yourself and stick to the commitment we all as Americans made. What if the WWII generation had done what you people are doing? We'd all be speaking Japanese and driving VW's saluting either the swastika or rising sun flag. That generation had it a whole lot tougher then than we do now. They had shortages and rationing to deal with and they rolled up their sleeves and produced more, worked longer, bought bonds, and supported our president, our troops, and our country.
I don't like war either, but sometimes it's the thing that needs to be done. I want our troops home too, but to pull out now would just mean we'd have to go back again and start from scratch. I feel I have a right to voice this opinion because my son enlisted in the Army, specifically requested to be in the infantry hoping to go to Iraq and help make a difference. He will get his wish in August(Maybe sooner now). Am I scared for him ? Yes I am. Will I be a wreck until he gets back home safely? You bet I will. Am I proud of him? You're damn right I am ! He's a fine young man and a true American.

If we leave Iraq, nothing horrible is going to happen to the USA, because our military would be HOME protecting US!

Anyone who says otherwise is a tool and a coward.

Freedom isn't free, it costs you some security.

Mr. Bush if you are in charge of the war why is Iran in Iraq?

MR. President Putin keep your mouth shut about the raids on Iraq soil our American soldiers are getting killed by your friends. You and your gang are corrupt murderers so you have no place to speak to our American leaders. Stay OUT!!!!

A sick Islamic extremist and a senior Iranian cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Janati said at Tehran University and warned US President George W. Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq is "a sign of his ignorance and a move that he will come to regret". Is this lunatic cleric threatening to kill our soldiers with its own Iranian extremist? This is the very reason why Iran is the true head of the venomous snake.