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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>A couple things in response, ToeKnee –<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>You stated:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>“Yes, 1.5 million marched against
the war. So what? This does not automatically indicate a lack of
overall support. “<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Would a recent survey of active duty
troops suffice, TK? Read the article below, titled “Poll: Most
troops want rapid pullout from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region></st1:place>”,
copied and pasted from the March 13, 2006 edition of the Army Times.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>As far as our economy is concerned, the
third largest annual federal expenditure is the interest payments of the
national deficit. Refresh your web browser screen (as fast as you are
comfortable with) and watch the numbers go up at:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><a
href="http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/">http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Question, TK – Who’s going to
look after our children? And their children? And their children?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>You see, TK, when it comes to spending we
should be concerned about tomorrow, or our children (and their children) will
suffer an incurable “hangover” from Bush’s “party”.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Now for the article I promised you:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Poll: Most troops want rapid pullout from <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>By Gordon Trowbridge<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Times staff writer <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Nearly three-fourths of <st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> troops now serving in <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region> favor a military pullout from that country
within a year, according to a survey of service members at four <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> bases
there.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>The survey of 944 <st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> troops in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region>,
conducted in late January and early February by pollster John Zogby, also found
more than 40 percent of troops said they are unclear on the goals of the <st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> mission in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>. But most said they generally
believe their equipment is up to the task.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>While the poll is likely to add to the
debate over <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> policy in <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>, public
opinion experts said they were hesitant to interpret the results because Zogby
has not released important details about the survey’s methodology.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Zogby, who polls for media organizations
that include NBC, has said only that the poll was conducted at four large <st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> bases in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Citing concerns about the
security of those who conducted the face-to-face interviews with surveyed
troops, he has not publicly disclosed who conducted the surveys or which bases
were involved.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>“He’s come up with a really
creative solution” to the challenge of polling deployed troops, said Mark
Blumenthal, a Washington-based pollster who said he had discussed some of the
details of the poll with Zogby. He said that while he thinks Zogby’s
reasons for withholding the information are understandable, the decision makes
it difficult for the public to assess the poll’s validity.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said he
wasn’t familiar with the specifics of the poll but said the results
aren’t surprising.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>“Service members deployed would
obviously, even when they understand the importance of what they’re
doing, rather be home,” Whitman said. “I don’t think anybody
is getting alarmed over any one poll.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Whitman said the Defense Department has
guidelines for polling troops but that he was still learning how the poll was
conducted. He said he was not aware of any military assistance in conducting
the poll, which was sponsored by the Center for Peace and Global Studies at Le
Moyne College in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Syracuse</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">N.Y.</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Among its findings:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>• Only 23 percent of troops said <st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> military forces should stay in <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> “as
long as they are needed,” and 29 percent supported an immediate pullout.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>• Confusion appears to exist among
troops about the reasons for the U.S presence. Fifty-eight percent said the <st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> mission in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> is clear in their minds; 42
percent said it was somewhat or very unclear to them. Eighty-five percent said
they believed a major reason for the war was “to retaliate for
Saddam’s role in the 9/11 attacks,” even though the idea that <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>
participated in the attacks has been discredited.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>• A slight majority, 53 percent,
agreed that the <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> should
double the number of troops and bombing missions in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> to control insurgents.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>• Just 13 percent said it was mostly
or definitely true that insurgent attacks had made them view the Iraqi people
negatively.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>• Forty-four percent said it was
definitely or mostly true that the Pentagon had provided them with adequate
equipment, while 30 percent called that statement mostly or definitely false.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>• There were significant differences
of opinion between soldiers and Marines. Active-duty soldiers were three times
as likely as Marines to call for an immediate pullout. And though just 19
percent of soldiers said they were very clear on their understanding of the <st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> mission in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>, 70 percent of Marines said
they were very clear.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Richard Eichenberg, a professor at <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Tufts</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
whose research focuses on public opinion in issues of war and peace, said
unanswered questions about the methods used in the poll made interpreting the
results difficult.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>“The purist in me says, in the final
analysis, we probably shouldn’t draw any strong conclusions,”
Eichenberg said. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Still, Eichenberg said he expects the
survey to add to calls for a withdrawal from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>“We really are reaching the point
where the country, the administration, the services, citizens, all have to face
the question of how long and under what conditions we stay,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>It really is time for a change.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Seeya round town, Moscow.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Tom Hansen<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>Moscow</span></font></st1:City><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></span></font></st1:place><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;color:navy'>********************************************<br>
<br>
"In <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place>,
anybody can become president. <br>
That's one of the risks you take . . ."<br>
<br>
- Adlai Stevenson<br>
<br>
********************************************</span></font><font size=2
color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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