Ok, I've got the solution to this whole Iraq mess.  Don't bother thanking me or anything.  Just recommend the diary and spread the word.  Call your representatives.

So we all agree that occupation is a bad idea, right?  Well if Iraq is a state with all of its citizens being citizens of US then it isn't an occupation, right?  It is a state.  We don't want them to feel like they are bullied.  No problem.  They have an equal voice.  They vote to help elect our president, they send representatives and Senators to Washington.  They collect Social Security, Medicare, etc.  Man this is such a fantastic idea!  An Iraqi could even be our next president if they were born in Iraq, because Iraq is part of U.S.  They need to follow our laws and everything of course.  They can't discriminate based on religion, sex, etc.  And that is a good thing.  

They might not like it at first, but they will learn to love it if we actually treat them fairly.

Tell me where I am wrong.  

Please don't flame me.

I just want a number, and also a length of time.  Let's assume that we could institute a draft to get this number of troops.  Let's assume also that Pelosi were president.

Why do I want the number?

I don't trust the McCain, Lieberman, Bush, etc. but I would like to know what the number is.  Ultimately any plan carried out by this administration is bound to fail.  But without the numbers, I feel a bit silly insulting the surge plan specifics.  Not too silly to insult it, but somewhat silly.   I would like a number to compare 20,000 to or to compare 40,000 to.

Also, this is not the same as Vietnam, right?  I feel that unlike Vietnam, it is my responsibility as a patriot to fix Iraq.  We caused this Iraq crap, we didn't cause Vietnam.  Note: I voted for Gore and Kerry, but I feel a responsibility.  Just as if my wife were to kill my neighbor's dog, I would feel guilty about it and would want to make it up to the neighbors.

What do I mean by win?:  I mean to bring the level of violence against innocent civilians down to what it was pre-invasion.

I have just been thinking about this lately.

Do we really need a right to privacy?

What I don't like losing my privacy is the idea that there are a select few (the current administration, for instance) might have exclusive access to know things about me, that others don't and that I don't know about others, including the administration.

However, if everyone knew what everyone was doing would that be so bad.  If every financial transaction were public it would be harder to be corrupt, harder to bribe, harder to blackmail, harder to siphon off money that isn't yours, harder to hide a conflict of interest.  That would be great, no?

On the other hand, I might think twice before ordering porn.  Not saying that porn is necessarily bad.  But if it is not bad then maybe people should be ashamed when they order it.

Anyway, there are potential downsides for sure.  But I like the idea of the whole world being an open book.  In fact, I would say that without that, there are problems that will never get solved.

This has nothing to do with politics.

If there were a natural disaster and there were only 2 people left.  A man and a woman.

How important to you would it be for them to have offspring?

Or another way of putting it - would preserving their lives be more important than the lives of any of the people that died previously.
update: if you think it is a stupid question, please tell me why.

Listen, I don't expect anyone to take this seriously.  That is alright.  In all likelyhood the truth regarding this won't come out.  However, when/if this comes out I want to be able to point to this diary.  I expect a lot of egg on a lot faces here.  I expect a lot of criticism.  Who cares. I can take it.  I don't have much mojo on this site as it is.

Well here goes:

There are people dying in Iraq.  Iraqi men, women and kids.  America is responsible for this, no?  If we leave many people will die in a civil war.  If we stay many people will die also.  We (America) caused this problem.  We need to solve it.  In fact, we are obligated according to international law to solve it.  So what is the solution?  Unstated conventional wisdom is that there is no solution.

There is a solution:

It is and has been for a while, a corporate media whore riot.  Like after your city's team wins the basketball championship, "fans" use it as an excuse to rob stores, etc.  Why, because they know that since everyone is doing it they won't get caught.

We need a way to focus our attention.  To single out one media criminal.  Beat the issue to death until we get satisfaction.  Ala what the repug bloggers did with the memos.

It seems that this election has nothing to do with Kerry vs. Bush.  If the public had a real press there would no contest.  It is all about getting reality (not the message, simply reality) to the people.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself.  I, like most of you hate republicanism.  

However, unlike many of you, but possibly like some of you, I don't have the greatest will power.  I procrastinate some times.  Especially when no one is watching.  For instance, there are chores that I should do.  The laundry, taking out the garbage, paperwork.  For whatever reason when I am alone I don't do these things.  However, when my wife is home I do them.  Not because she is going to nag me.  Just simply because someone else is watching.  I behave better because someone else is watching.  

However nobody that I know personally cares if I send a reporter an email. Or cares if I get on the phone to MSNBC or wants me to write a letter to someone in a swing state.  When I get a mass email from MoveOn or someone posts a diary to contact the media it is like something I know I need to do, but won't do because noone is watching.  Some social or peer pressure would be great.

Also, when I do engage in one of these activities I feel many times that it makes no difference.

I suspect that there is a great deal of Kosian/liberal/ABB/etc. energy/frustration that doesn't get tapped for this same reason.

Abortion is a losing issue for Democrats long term.  It is also the only reason I have for not being proud to be a Democrat.  For some reason I know a lot of people that feel the same way.

We all know that Jesus would be on our side on every issue but this one (BTW I am a pan-agnostic).  I would love Kerry to come out saying that he was more pro life than Bush, "not only should we outlaw abortion, but we should 1) also invest a whole boat load of money into research for new birth control methods (a medication that would not only be effective and convenient but also fun and that would enhance the sexual experience) and 2) guarantee to take care of mothers and thier who otherwise would not have the financial means to take care of themselves etc. whatever" i.e. not only a pro-life stance but a pro-life,pro-baby stance.

Also I don't like the fact that anti-abortion is some how seen as a religious issue.  If you think abortion is murder then you are against it.  That is I don't know any atheists that are pro murder.  I would be great if some atheist organization could come out pro-life.  That would put a damper on the right's holier than though "I am a christian so I must be pro-life (or I won't get into heaven" attitude.