Various appeasements are offered spirits of the dead for the specific purpose of relieving the living of any influence the dead may exert. ‘Spirits’ of the dead are actually the disruptive effects the deceased continue to have in the world (minds) of the living; in this sense Saddam’s ‘ghost’ will haunt the Bush regime for a considerable period.

The world has learnt not to expect intelligent decisions or actions from the Bush regime. The Iraq fiasco offers irrefutable proof of incompetence on a grand scale. After a relatively long silence Whitehouse public relations have (characteristically) resorted to methods of deception and distraction in their efforts to placate the public and regain face – neo-cons are consistent if nothing else:

"There seems to be a lot of concern about the last two minutes of Saddam Hussein's life and less about the first 69 (years), in which he murdered hundreds of thousands of people," Tony Snow, Whitehouse press secretary stated today.

The above feeble attempt to shift the public’s focus away from the damaging effects of the bungled execution to the murder record of Saddam unintentionally draws attention to the current death toll (according to Lancet) of 655,000. This figure dwarfs Saddam's murder record. The fact that the coalition has succeeded in achieving over half a million deaths IN LESS THAN FOUR YEARS clearly indicates the 'cure' is far worse than the disease. America and its few allies have only demonstrated their superior 'expertise' in facilitating the murder of innocents in a narrower time frame! The criminal status of the invading coalition is undeniable especially in view of the flagrant lies upon which the invasion was initiated. Peace must begin with JUSTICE and until ALL criminals involved in the Iraq fiasco are held accountable, 'measures' to stabilise Iraq will fail.

Regardless of the appalling reality on the ground, the Whitehouse continues to play charades as is evident in the statement of the deputy press secretary, Scott Stanzel, “the President is focused on the ‘new way forward’ [meaningless slogan] in Iraq so these issues [bungled execution] are best addressed out of Iraq, out of Baghdad," [by Iraqi puppets?]

Bush's press secretaries confirm American foreign policy as farcical. Persistent denial regarding the plunder of OIL continues to erode American integrity and diminish whatever moral authority America may have possessed.

The solution to the whole Iraq debacle is clear; arrest all those complicit in the illegal invasion and hold them to account for their war crimes and crimes against humanity. Justice would be served and opportunities for peace would be enhanced.

Failure to placate the ‘spirits’ of the dead results in continued tribulation for the living – a lesson traditional culture has learnt well. Saddam may yet prove more powerful in death than he ever was in life.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/03/iraq/main2327520.shtml