Che?
Not Italian. Argentine, if memory serves.
You shouldn’t. If you look at the PNAC’s strategy – to modify our fighting forces into mobile, fast-responding and multi-theater operations – they’re succeeding.
Sure. And where were we to get the troops for said security? Our generosity only goes so far before a “Coalition Partner” needs to commit more men and women than say 1,300.
Pinche cabron.
Guevara!
<aside>
Much to my surprise, John’s actually correct, it is Spanish. In Italian the “que” translates in to “che.”
Here’s the Straight Dope: Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
</aside>
Poland?
Seriously though, there was never a “coalition” as much as a “coersion of nations.” The young grasshopper had much to learn from his father about both, Iraq and forming proper Coalitions.
Waaay too late now.
But seriously, folks…
Not about to pretend that getting the hell out of BaghDodge is an easy call, it isn’t. Fraught with peril. Fraught, I tells ya! Not a bit certain, only making the judgement call: if our presence isn’t helping, then our own best and brightest are dying alongside those whom they cannot prevent from dying. In my judgement, that moment has arrived some time back.
On the other hand, “stay the course” is the Bushivik’s only card, its deuce in the hole. So long as our troops remain, the dream remains: that some miracle shall befall us all and the situation will suddenly turn around, proving the Bushiviks right all along and put the stamp of approval on their foreign policy delusions.
Anything else is an admission of failure and bone shattering stupidity. If a scenario could be devised that permits an immediate withdrawal of American forces and permits the Bushiviks to plausibly blame their political enemies, our troops would be on their way out today, right now, toot damn sweet.
It already gives an opening for a new! improved! Viet Nam fantasy: that it might have been done sucessfully if only those nancy-boy liberals hadn’t tied their hands.
There are no good options, none. There are no options that do not put enormous numbers of innocent lives at risk. None. The least ghastly option is withdrawal soonest, which I urge with a mixture of hope and fear. Mostly fear, damned little hope.
“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just” - Thomas Jefferson
Tequila!
Que?
He said, TEQUILA!
Estas sordo? 
Come se dice “Jo mamma!”?
You’re suprised that I might actually know something, or surprised that you didn’t know? 
IIRC, you’re Spanish by birth, no?
Neither. I think of you as a highly edycated indivual and I’m not exactly an accordion-playing monkey either.
Thing is, that song is older than me and I always thought it was Italian – to my crediot and as as you can see from the link, it was originally composed as “che sera, sera.” Perhaps my confusion has to do with either of my parents mentioning something to that effect. Both were movie buffs.
And yes, you are also correct about my birthplace: Madrid.
Anyway, enough with being right already, OK?! It’s highly annoying!
'luc, Y tu mamá también.
Good flick if you get a chance to rent it.
What a great city. I’ve only been there twice, but loved it both times. Which reminds me… I need to get back to Spain soon. And Italy.
Thanks, I think so as well, had a fantastic childhood there. Matter of fact I’m supposed to go back next week as my sister keeps an apartment in the city (inherited, I gave her my half in exchange for other property here. I could shoot myself after seeing how RE went up in Spain since) and they are doing work on it. Needs to be checked on.
Hard to beleive but I don’t want to go as I’m after a Sherwin-Williams paint distributorship and can’t afford to take much time off. Of course, it helps that my uncle owns the SW franchise down here; its more to do with my potential partners, don’t want to lose them as they’d be the ones actually running the day to day.
<back on topic, sorta>
Interesting and harsh comments by Gorbi in an interview with a German newspaper recently:
I don’t see how the exact number is the central part of the issue really. While it’s important for us to know, eventually, just how many civilians died as the result of our actions, if we are tlaking about the general effects, we have long ago jumped in the realm of “a whole fucking lot.”
We’ve killed, or assisted in the killing of, a whole fucking lot of Iraqi civilians. It’s unacceptable. 50,000 is unacceptable. 600,000 is unacceptable. And I think we are all aware that this is how every potential terrorist or extremist who will eventually be seeking revenge will see it. They won’t care about the exact number, just that a whole fucking lot of people they knew and cared for are now dead, and the the carnage was unleashed by “those filthy pig Americans.”
Sweet Jesus.
When God was handing out brains, did you think he said “drains”, and ask for “small, to conduct ordure efficiently, and ultimately retain nothing”?
I propose to do the thing we have not done. Take responsibility for the insanity of letting those in power remain in power in my country.
If anyone now holds office, their actions, or lack of effective action is reason enough to vote them out of office. Change the government, change the parties, change it all. It cannot be worse than it has been. Our Constitution stands smoldering, the Bill of Rights is an open joke to those now in power.
Justice stands bleeding, over Liberty, slain. And we, the American citizens are the authors of every single bit of it.
Tris