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<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">Sunil, I regret using the word "harping" -- you are correct, we are engaging in a dialogue, I stand corrected. You are also correct that we will see how this turns out. I for one hope it turns out in a positive fashion. However, I am concerned with the amount of $ that is being spent. I definitely want to see the deficit trimmed, social security reformed (for the long term), and Medicare strengthened. All of that is going to be very tough given current debt and desired outlays. There are times when "discussion" as you lay out below doesn't produce results. There are times when decisive action and leadership are required. If we discussed everything, we wouldn't get anything done in a timely manner. Faulty intelligence...those responsible should be held accountable. Regarding the privatization of Iraq's economy. It's a positive development. I don't believe w!
e are "stealing" their assets. I do believe a free and democratic Iraq will be a friend to the US for the long term and that will enhance our national security interests and BOTH economies. Hard to say how the Iraqis are currently benefiting from the privatization piece because you and I don't have "boots on the ground" in Iraq to judge for ourselves AND the media chooses to base 99% of their reporting on the negative and only 1% on the positive. Have a good evening.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">Coop</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=sunilramalingam@hotmail.com href="mailto:sunilramalingam@hotmail.com">Sunil Ramalingam</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To: </B><A title=sunilramalingam@hotmail.com href="mailto:sunilramalingam@hotmail.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> 1/26/2005 5:10:16 PM </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: [Vision2020] Happy Birthday</DIV>
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<P>You call it 'harping,' and you can't point to a historical model because there isn't one that works to support your theories. Maybe what you predict will take place, but they're faith-based, and there's nothing in the past in that region to suggest that the changes you hope for will occur. I guess we'll know in a few years whether history is being made, as you hope, or repeated, as I suspect. I think we're re-writing what the English wrought in the first half of the last century.</P>
<P>If 'democratizing Iraq' was the reason for the war, then we should have had a national discussion on that very issue. Congress could have decided if we should invade another country so that they could be a democracy (I'll set aside my opinions of the arrogance of that view for now.) We could have honestly discussed the costs of such a war. We could have addressed the fact that Iraq didn't pose a threat to our security.</P>
<P>That's not the discussion we had, and that wasn't the reason we were given. Instead the administration focused on intelligence that told it what it wanted to hear, and ignored the rest. Liars or incompetents? Are either to be trusted?</P>
<P>While I'm harping ( and there I was thinking I was engaging in a dialog), do you disagree with me on my statements regarding our privatization of Iraq's economy? How much are Iraqis benefitting from our grab?</P>
<P>Sunil<BR></P></DIV>
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