www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?Sec...amp;amp;ItemID=13539

makes me think that democracy as we knew it is over. Its corporate rule and wealth for a few.

Mercenary armies aren't new, Bananaman. They've existed throughout history, quite profitably, too....but this time around, they're high tech, and that to me is the scary part. Then again, when has a mercenary army not been scary in any era?

good point but its who they're working for that's worrying. People like Haliburton, Kellog, Brown & Root etc do'nt inspire confidence

I know they don't, Bananaman. But, when I think about it...and I admit I'm not an analyst of any real strength... it seems to me that the reason these wars occur (besides control of oil exports) is because people need employment, i.e. construction workers need work...so, knock down big cities like Baghdad or Beirut, in order to build them up again (cyclically). Meanwhile, the infrastructure in the US crumbles because GWB and his cronies aren't paying attention to needs at home; they're too busy being greedy about other places that seem to have greater mineral wealth or something. It's stupid and maddening. The loss of life and the waste of resources is ...I don't want to say "sinful" in a mostly secular age (seemingly), but what other word for it is there to use?

i agree, and the idea of Blair as a peace envoy is just laughable.