"Mission Accomplished." Just damn, and I wish we could have stopped it. Remember.

[Faygo Kid]

We tried to stop it here at DU - Here in DC, we had 100,000 march more than once, only to be buried on page 7 of the Washington Post, while a few years later two dozen "tea partiers" in lawn chairs were deemed front page news.

We knew the war was wrong, and that it would cost untold American and Iraqi lives and untold billions of dollars, while Saddam was contained and posed no real threat.

We also questioned the "weapons of mass destruction," but they trotted out Colin Powell for their credibility, to his eternal regret. And thank you, Condi and "Dick," for that mushroom cloud bullshit. Hope you're both enjoying your wealth and undeserved prestige.

News bulletin: Iraq had NOTHING to do with 9/11, as Richard Clarke made it so very clear in his book that came out soon after the invasion. His was a voice in the wilderness. As was Joe Wilson, and his wife, Valerie Plame, who saw her career destroyed by the venal Cheney/Libby.

And then there was the venerable New York Times, that liberal bastion, which printed the countless lies of Judith Miller as truth. Now she is a fixture on the DC cocktail circuit. Bet she has a lovely condo, too.

Starting to remember what we have been put through? Nothing compared to those Americans, Iraqis and others who paid the ultimate price so Kristol, Wolfowitz, Rove, North et al could advance their insatiable demand for war. And Fox News. Profit was to be pursued, and was found.

I'm old enough to have marched against the war in Vietnam. I may have been too young to be on the Pettis Bridge, but I remember Bull Connor and his hoses vividly shown on my Mom's black and white television.

We also got hosed about Iraq. I am so glad that President Obama says we will be totally out of there by Christmas. But "joy" is too strong a word, and "relief" isn't strong enough. Perhaps I will just lift a glass of eggnog a bit higher, and make a pledge.

Never Again. Not in my lifetime.