I think my credentials as a bleeding heart liberal are fairly well established on this board. I read the article in the Le Canard Enchaine, a French weekly, when it was published. I firmly believe that we cannot and will not succede in Iraq. I did not make a post to this article, however, because I thought it was axe grinding. It may or not be axe grinding, but I, flaming liberal though I am, didn't want to post this article. Without a doubt there have been desertions and AWOLs (Absent Without Official Leave). There are desertions in peace time and in every conflict we've ever fought. People are complicated. Although I think that the administration lives and feeds on the muck at the bottom of the pond (Democrats feed one level above, which still isn't very nice), it is sufficient to blame the administration for the things for which they are responsible. We don't need to bring additional muck to the pond, for which the administration is not responsible. Americans have grown increasing more pampered and less responsible. I'd expect a higher desertion and AWOL rate if we sent them down to Bahama to guard the Miss Universe candidates.