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Mullings by Rich Galen�
A Political Cyber-Column By Rich Galen
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    Be Fruitful ...

    Friday, October 24, 2003


    Aboard Delta Flight CXLVIII
    JFK to Rome, Italy

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  • The answer to your question is: The Mullings Director of Standards & Practices is going with me to visit Ambassador Mel and Mrs. Betty Sembler. Two of the best people I have ever known.

  • The answer to your next question is: Yes. We are in business class, unlike our trip to Paris last spring when, for reasons I never knew, we flew in coach.

  • I may not be the smartest person on the planet but I am trainable.

  • The answer to your THIRD question is: I watched "The Italian Job" as the in-flight movie to get in the swing of things.

  • The New York Times had an item which didn't seem to ignite the passions of the producers and bookers at the cable nets, but should have: "Panel Faults Lax Security for Iraq Office" was the page one headline.

  • The piece, by Kirk Semple, discussed a 40-page report on the bombing of the UN's Baghdad office in Mid-August. The fault, according to the report, was laid squarely � Not the Coalition Provisional Authority. Not the coalition military units. Not President Bush. But on � the United Nations.

  • According to the report, the United Nations:
  • "Failed to assess thoroughly security in Iraq;" or to
  • "Respond to warnings that the [Baghdad] headquarters could be a target of attack;" and
  • "Dismissed offers of protection from the United States coalition in Baghdad."
  • In fact, the report stated the UN, "asked the American-led Coalition forces 'on several occasions' to withdraw their security presence" from around the UN headquarters.
  • The US had placed a five-ton truck across the road which the bombers used for access, but the truck was ordered moved by the UN;
  • After the truck was removed the US Army laid concertina wire across the road "but the United Nations requested that it, too, be removed."

  • Am I wrong about this, or does this constitute gross negligence?

  • If former plaintiff's attorney John Edwards decides to drop out of the race for the Democratic nomination for President I do believe he could present a pretty good case against Secretary General Kofi Annan.

  • I seem to remember, as the Secretary General was ordering virtually all UN personnel out of Iraq, that his tone and demeanor, if not his actual words, seemed to cast blame on the US for the loss of life.

  • In the aftermath of the August 19th bombing (which killed 20 and injured 150) I guarantee someone in the US operation in Baghdad had to answer to President Bush who asked the question: "Could this have been prevented?"

  • If I am correct, then President Bush knew that the UN was at fault. Nevertheless, he looked at the larger picture, and didn't point fingers at Kofi Annan and the UN, but let it ride.

  • That's pretty big stuff, it seems to me. From a pretty big man.

  • Memo to Ted Kennedy: Wanna retract anything you said last week?

  • A minor change of subject. On the flight from Washington, DC to JFK in New York I drank a bottle of water. The water has the brand name of "Dasani" which is a subsidiary of Coca Cola.

  • That's modesty interesting. What was really interesting - was this notation on the label:
    PURIFIED WATER
    Enhanced With Minerals For a Pure, Fresh Taste

  • The minerals which enhance the water are: Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride and Salt.

  • Yeppir! You want pure water to taste purer, add a little magnesium sulfate.

  • I have a confession. I did not watch "The Italian Job" for very long. I switched to "Bruce Almighty," a Jim Carrey vehicle. On the theory that you can tune into any Jim Carrey movie at any point and not miss a thing, I watched it instead. I was right.

  • The best line? "Be fruitful � and do long division."

  • Here's what's on today's Secret Decoder Ring page: A link to the NY Times piece and that's it.

    --END --
    Copyright © 2003 Richard A. Galen

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