Yes, the article by Col. Mike Turner said it all.

And, I've quoted and cited to Robert Kagan before, but William Kristol? Wow, that's when you know Bush is in trouble on this issue.

Yeah, I suppose one can always cheer for smut peddlers. :)

Since when is Salam Pax's father "a high ranking Baath Party member?" Is this proven? Where is your CONCRETE EVIDENCE?

Here we go again. I am very disappointed in you.

Salam Pax has admitted this himself. It's not exactly some obscure fact, or a secret of any kind. You had to be a Ba'athist to be in any position of prominence, and being sent to Geneva as a representative of the regime certainly qualifies as high-ranking. Doesn't mean his dad loved Saddam, but as a statement of pure fact what I said is unassailable.

As for leaning strongly leftward, the guy grew up in a family that was part of a state socialist apparatus, and since the war he has noted a soft spot for the Iraqi Communist party.

That's legitimate in order to the reader make informed judgments. In this case, however, it mostly heightens the contrast with the hopeful and "some things suck but overall good things are happening" tone of Salam's interview responses as he discusses the situation in Iraq.

You know, Joe, I have to tell you that I strongly disagree with you on this issue. So, we'll have to agree to disagree.

I do not think it is appropriate or ok or acceptable to bring Salam's father into a discussion of Salam at all whatsoever. Salam is 30 yrs old and an adult and has lived away from home on his own. More importantly, Salam IS NOT RESPONSIBLE AT ALL WHATSOEVER for anything his relatives or father may or may not have said or done.

Beyond that, you don't seem to realize what kind of a cesspool and hornets' nest you are stepping into with denouncements and twisted motivations and betrayals and phony depictions, etc. You really don't know. And I wouldn't touch that with ten-foot pole. The former nazis who were our assets were supposed to be strongly anti-commie, and then sold our secrets to marcus wolfe and the east german commies. So, don't be so sure that what you believe is true.

I believe nothing. It is called a wilderness of mirrors. And I must insist that whatever you suspect or believe about Salam's father is: 1)irrelevant and 2)your belief which should not be confused with proven, concrete facts.

I am admittedly a real stickler on this issue, starting from the Nuremberg Tribunals.

Dude, Chill.

Salam's dad is not a bad man, and is not responsible for evils to my knowledge, and I've never suggested otherwise. Nor have I said anything about betrayal or poor motives. I'm sure the Iraqi generals I'm campaigning to have released were Ba'athists too. That may be legitimate cause for suspicion absent any other information, but it's hardly definitive. Indeed, "Salam Pax Sr." is actually MORE optimistic that his son about what can be achieved with the Americans (again, in SP's own words).

SP Sr. WAS incontrovertibly a high functionary, and Salam Pax grew up in that environment, and yeah it's highly relevant to understanding where he's coming from. Personally, for me it adds to the surprise when I read SP's measured and optimistic tone, and it also helps snap some of the criticisms into focus. NOT to mention it would be an important omission, just as talking about a political commentator without mentioning, say, an affiliation with the Heritage Foundation would be an important and material omission.

Salam's background, and his dad's, also adds perspective to discussions of the Sunni Triangle area where many former Ba'athists live. If they're like that, perhaps the area isn't so hopeless after all. That's a pretty important insight.

But you'll never think of it if you don't know anything about Salam Pax or his family past.

According to you, the Baath Party now has my address in NJ. And I am not thrilled about that. Fortunately, I have Jerry Bremer's personal email address in case something untoward happens. I hope it doesn't because I already have enough problems without them.

Please drop Jerry a line about the Generals, button. We'd all be grateful.

Meanwhile, you heard the man - Baath Party at his place! wooo hoo! Bring the beer, and wear your bathing suits.

I'll stick with the Wilderness of Mirrors.

Thanks anyway.

JOE:

In what specific location are these abandoned generals? Is there a name or code name for their camp?

Also, who is in charge of them, their supervisory officer?

Such as: The abandoned generals interred in Camp Howdy near Basra under the command of General Whatzitz or Colonel Nudnik.

Do you have any identifying info so that Bremer could locate them? Maybe they fell through the cracks.

They definitely fell through the cracks. This is bureaucratic BS more than anything else.

And re: the specifics, I'll ask The Chief. He may not be allowed to tell me, but it's worth a try.

No wonder.

Its bureaucratic nonsense in that no one with the authority to recommend release wants to be responsible for the decision.