Having destroyed Iraq, the United States now proposes to rebuild it with the money generated from the sale of Iraqi oil, which will be flowing again, we are told, within three weeks. Thus will Iraq's natural wealth be pumped directly into the coffers of Bechtel, Halliburton and other administration cronies. Call them DubyaCo.

You will perhaps have noticed that no one is telling us that electricity, water and the rule of law will be restored throughout Iraq within three weeks. These things are not feasible. But oil will flow.

"Iraqi oil belongs to the Iraqi people," says Ari Fleischer, famously referring I suppose to what will be left of it after DubyaCo "recoups expenses."

How long will the U.S. be in Iraq? Ask rather, how long will money flow from the spigot? And then ask how much American blood and treasure it took to get it flowing, right into the wallets of Cheney's pals and Bush's supporters. Everyone under the command of Tommy Franks was effectively part of a mercenary expedition, employed at taxpayer expense and deployed in the service of "American interests," i.e., DubyaCo.

Contracts to rebuild Iraq "could possibly create jobs here as well as overseas," says the Houston Chronicle, enthusiastically boosterising the trickle-down effect. Perhaps the "reconstruction" of Iraq could turn out to be something like the Gulf Freeway in Texas, a contractor's paradise and a motorist's nightmare, said to have been "under construction" almost continuously since the day it opened in the 1940s -- and slated for still more construction on into the new century. They'll be doing construction on the Gulf Freeway long after today's autos are all rusting away in the junkyard.

Who knows, Iraq might even benefit from one or two big dam projects! After all, dams are a Bechtel specialty.

During the 60s and 70s, the excruciating folly of U.S. involvement in Vietnam became obvious to anyone with a conscience or an education. But folly is not the word for what is happening in Iraq. Compared to Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld, Johnson and McNamara look like the Innocents Abroad, or characters out of Ring Lardner. Even Nixon looks naive by contrast. Kissinger (like Hitchens) must be slack-jawed with admiration.

There is a reason why all the Dumb-Ass Dubya jokes have been drying up lately. It isn't for the reason the Foxadelphians think , either. They believe people have stopped mocking him because he suddenly seems heroic. Even Howard Dean says people admire Bush because, like him or not, he acts like a leader. (The gentle reader may wish to pause here and gag before reading on. Or to recall Dylan's advice: "Don't follow leaders.")

The fact is that people have stopped laughing at Bush because he's no longer the village idiot. He's the village tyrant now. After what he did to Iraq, after he lied to this country to persuade it to go to war, nothing he ever does will be funny anymore.

There were those among us who thought that if we kept harping on the "Bush is an ignoramus" theme, why, one day we'd all wake up and laugh him right out of office, no need for an election. We dwelt on his inability to pronounce "nuclear" (neither could Jimmy Carter) or string two sentences together as comforting proof of his stupidity, as though he were more an embarrassment than a danger.

But the point was never what we thought of him. We are finally beginning to get that now. It was what he thought of us. (Has any American president ever shown less interest in the American people and their well-being?)

The point is not even that he stole the presidency. After all, so more-or-less did Kennedy, with a little help from Mayor Daley. Lyndon Johnson was elected to the U.S. Senate by a margin of votes supplied by dead people. For that matter, what important U.S. election hasn't been effectively stolen by corporate money lately?

The point is that the country and, for all practical purposes, the world are now being run for the benefit of DubyaCo. Getting rid of Bush won't necessarily dismantle the enterprise. There are too many wholly-owned subsidiaries.

Anyway, the naming rights will be up for sale in 2004. KerryCo? LiebermanCo? Or will it be ClintonCo in 2008? Would you be more comfortable with a social liberal supervising the looting of Iraq?

David Vest writes the Rebel Angel column for CounterPunch. His scorching new CD, Way Down Here, is now available from CounterPunch.

He can be reached at: davidvest@springmail.com

"There is a reason why all the Dumb-Ass Dubya jokes have been drying up lately. It isn't for the reason the Foxadelphians think , either. They believe people have stopped mocking him because he suddenly seems heroic. Even Howard Dean says people admire Bush because, like him or not, he acts like a leader. (The gentle reader may wish to pause here and gag before reading on. Or to recall Dylan's advice: "Don't follow leaders.")

The fact is that people have stopped laughing at Bush because he's no longer the village idiot. He's the village tyrant now. After what he did to Iraq, after he lied to this country to persuade it to go to war, nothing he ever does will be funny anymore."

I would say Impeachment is long past due but I would be stating the obvious. The Rot and Decay of which the Bush Junta is symptomatic of will, if not checked, bring the Country down into a period of living hell. Darkness grows close.

Who cares what YOU think. There's no evidence you DO think!!

We've all must question the motives of someone whose overinflated opinion of his own personal political beliefs causes him to publish storys off the wire which, without any reasearch, if it agrees with what he's already predetermined to be the truth will then accept the story without question, and then is so highminded as to immediately comment on the article he just posted so as to make sure it falls down to the "comments" section. And he does this day after day after day. There's a stable personality for ya.

And what's this stuff about no Bush jokes being done anymore? Is Letterman and Leno past your bedtime, litttle girl? Shut you're fucking yap and pay attention!

...freedom of expression, Mr. Brigg.

It is there for everybody, including people with opposing views. It only frightens people not interested in democracy...

>freedom of expression is there for everybody, including people with opposing views.

Which is exactly what I did.

I wonder, would even Bush and Blair be stupid enough to drink water that had depleted uranium in it - or give it to their children or grandchildren?

There's a radioactive fire in my pants right because I heard K-mart was having a blue light special.

Little boys pants are half-off!

HEEHAWW! Get it?

I'm a pedophile see.

They are all over Iraq - depleted uranium shells, cluster bombs, helecopters that regularly crash and land on anyone beneath them, and various skin-heads, sex offenders and other losers wearing camoglage uniforms and now unleashed on the Iraqi population. Bush is finally right.

I'm a wormy little bitch that likes to bugger little boys. Did I mention that I'm a pedophile??

If you're a pedophile, you'd make a great KOBE member. We all like little boys. Michael Jackson is our most famous member.

www.kobehq.com

...a little boy swallow my splooge.

That's spooge, no "L". (your english teacher)

>We've all must question the motives of someone whose overinflated opinion of his own personal political beliefs causes him to publish storys off the wire which, without any reasearch, if it agrees with what he's already predetermined to be the truth will then accept the story without question<

This is what your beloved FOx news does everyday you idiot.

>We've all must question the motives of someone whose overinflated opinion of his own personal political beliefs causes him to publish storys off the wire which, without any reasearch, if it agrees with what he's already predetermined to be the truth will then accept the story without question<

This is what your beloved FOx news does everyday you idiot.

>This is what your beloved FOx news does everyday you idiot.

No. Indymedia has that market cornered, packaged and sewn up you idiot.

"We distort; you comply." Nuff said.

We love you! Would you like an IDF-issue rifle signed by Ariel Sharon?

You still hangin' around this site, Brigg? Thought I got rid of your pale @$$ last time. Know-nothings with big mouths always talk the most and say the least. Especially when they tell others to 'shut up'. Oh yeah, Brigg-baby: what are you REALLY angry about? Frustrated with life? Not gettin' enough? Come on, big boy, let's hear what makes you tick?

My dad is a mess hall seargent and he'll kick your ass!!!!!

I'm sorry brigg. I've just been having to beat my meat a lot lately since my wife left me. Bitch cleaned out the bank account too. Left me with just a radio and a bean bag. Had to pawn my Hot Wheels collection just to get this computer. Thinking about going gay.....

If you are going gay, can I be your first boyfriend?

Just let a co-worker use his fist on me last nigh! What an experience!

You haven't lived until you've had a softball bat inserted into your ass like i have.

www.kobehq.com

Disgusting! You're so nutty, you should work for Planter's Peanut Co.

I already know how nutty I am. All of us KOBES are nutcases.

www.kobehq.com

They are. True. Quite.

I'm glad I'm not affiliated with them. But you go right ahead and tell us how nutty they all are. In the meantime, I'll help you out! I don't like them any more than I like the people around here! See, I'm nutty too!!

I'm nuttier than a bag of peanut brittle.

I'm nuttier than a Planter's factory!

But so am I!

What a thoughtful response! NOT!!!!

I'm not here to entertain you.

idiot.

Way to go. Whenever we conservatives get caught being simpleminded, we can always just sit there and hurl juvenile insults. Great job!

You're such a freak. God. I hate stupidity.

And you, are stupid.

Way to go. Whenever we conservatives get caught being simpleminded, we can always just sit there and hurl juvenile insults. Great job!

In case you haven't figured it out, I'm a libertarian. I hate the fucker Bush Admirer as much as you do.

He is truely a nutcase. But then again, so am I!

I'm nuttier than a peanut farm!!!!!!!

That freak Eric is nuttier than a peanut gallery.

But not as insane as me!!

I said peanut FARM, not GALLERY. What's the matter, numbnuts, can you not read?

Dio impersonator? There's no diogenes impersonator just like there's no sheepdog impersonator or bush admirer impersonator or eric impersonator or KOBE SBM impersonator or daveman impersonator or KPC impersonator or brigg impersonator or systemfailure impersonator or simple simon impersonator ...........

Anyone who would think there are any impersonators is as nutty as a fruit cake.

You're the most nutty idiot on this site. Except for me. Why don't you get a job or something to occupy yourself.

idiot.

Just shut the hell up and give me a golden shower.

I'll come over and pee on you if you like! I'm freaky like that!

I would also like a golden shower.

www.kobehq.com

You're a freak. You're a freaky-freak. I like your style.

I'm also a hermaphrodite who likes to sodomize little Chink boys. They have the tightest rectums.

www.kobehq.com

You're freakiness entertains the shit out of me. You're a funny guy! I love what we've done to this forum, don't you? We've squelched almost all intelligible discusion! This place has become a work of art! I hope you're as pleased as me!!

Bwwwwaaahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahaha!

Unless you're a little Chink boy, shut the hell up.

www.kobehq.com

We hate niggers. Join us.

I'll never shut up. Never. And never go away either.

Like the scorpion to the bullfrog, "It's my nature."

It's not so funny Any More

I'm mentally unstable.

Don't you care?