To: LLCF who wrote (30729 ) 4/3/2003 2:32:39 PM From: maceng2 Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 74559 War Over??? POG says it's so I watched a good documentary a few months ago on LBJ and Vietnam... Time Machine: LBJ And Vietnam: In The Eye Of The Stormstore.aetv.com I found it real interesting as it played several tape recordings of actual phone conversations on various subjects. LBJ did just about everything he could from dragging the USA into that war. I believe the jury is still out whether it was a mistake or not. Hard to tell of course. Fact is, many of the concerns about communism were true, HCM refused a billion dollars or so in aid to SEA and decided on war instead. One conversation by LBJ is revealing. It was along the line of (forgot the actual quote)... "Well, I think we are losing the war, so.. I wonder if the enemy thinks we are losing the war..." Anyway, the Times has a piece on the potential of a "Euro Army"news.ft.com a little excerpt... European federalists want the European Union to have greater powers. French Gaullists, long convinced that military might means great power prestige, trumpet the idea. Tony Blair, Britain's prime minister, has exploited it to become more "European"; Joschka Fischer, Germany's foreign minister, has exploited it to become more military. The logic is seductive: if the US respects only military power, a European army will surely command respect. Cough... Well, I must admit I find that piece rather funny, so I wonder if the USA military thinks the idea funny too -g- Anyway, the Iraqi related info that interests me is whether Iraqi oil gets to be priced in USD now or does the new fashion of pricing oil in Euros continue? That may have an effect on the POG I guess.So is the euro the missing link between the 'axis of evil' and the 'axis of weasel'? observer.co.uk Do European and Russian oil businesses get a slice of the action in helping Iraq back on its feet or has USA companies already bagged the honour of the task?? Once the war is finished, I can see there is lots of peace to be fought over. One can easily imagine the diplomats and bureaucrats sharpening their pens and pencils right now...