http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspxOn Sunday, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani was flown by U.S. military aircraft from his residence in As-Sulaymaniyah to the King Hussein Medical City in Amman, Jordan, one of the best hospitals in the region.  The reason for the medical evacuationen-USCommunityServer 2.0 (Build: 60608.1)http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69556Mon, 26 Feb 2007 18:42:47 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69556John Knoxvillewhat diffrence does it make if he dies. Iraq is so fractured and dismantalled. Talabani and 10 more like him would not make a dent in fixing this broken nation. Thanks to Bush and people like Talabani http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69590Mon, 26 Feb 2007 19:22:37 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69590Bill, New York@John Knoxville So by your own words the man has held a country together and you then blame the fracture on him in the next breath? Learn to logic, idiot.http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69612Mon, 26 Feb 2007 19:42:01 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69612The Bridge ladySorry, but most thinking persons have long realized that Muslim countries have "done what is best for their people" and western democracy is not workable in their culture - wonder what this area would be like if Britain had not laid claim to three parts of Mesapotemia, creating Iraq in 1927, then Britain fought Saddam to capture Kuwait for the oil reserves before Saddam could blockade - 2007, wouldn't the Kurds have the North Region, Shiias the West, and Sunnis the East -- lots of small tribes are being killed daily because they aren't SHIIAS! Mercy!http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69624Mon, 26 Feb 2007 19:56:06 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69624C A, Tuscaloosa, AlabamaTalabani and the Kurds need to tell the rest of Iraq to stick it and become an independent nation on their own. They appear to be the only faction over there with any sense and who have remained steadfast and supportive of US involvement. Talabani needs to get well, go home and become President of an independent Kurdistan. Then we need to redeploy our troops on the border of Kurdistan so that the rest of Iraq (and Turkey) can't bother the Kurdish people while they are setting up their own nation. Of course we might also help the Kurds to redirect a large portion of Iraq oil to Kurdistan so those people can enjoy and reap the rewards of having some sense, cohesiveness and peace among themselves. When completed I bet the Kurdish people would even allow the US to establish a base or two in their country. http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69631Mon, 26 Feb 2007 20:01:24 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69631Kirt Silvers, KCMOIt is sad to hear of anyone becoming ill but it just a long list of things that are spiraling out of controll in Iraq. There is a sad price for the control of oil.http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69688Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:13:17 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69688Ron, Stockton CACA: An independent Kurdistan and a nice thought but it would require annexing large swaths of Turkey and possibly Iran to be in any sense vaible. Further they would have no outlet to the sea, unless they can wrangle such territory from Turkey or Syria. Without an open water port, Kurdistan would be at the mercy of its larger neighbors. The only outcome from a Kurdish declaration of independence would be open warfare with Turkey, Iran, Syria and (maybe) Iraq itself on one side and the US on the other. http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69689Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:13:47 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69689John, KnoxvilleHey, Bill NY...you speak like a New Yorker ...good for nothing but name calling. The fact is people like Chalabi, Jalal Talabani, Maliki and others in concert with the Neo Conservatives, have mislead this nation into going war. Only a President like Bush would fall in the trap that was set by these self-serving blood suckers. The point I am trying to make is that neither Talabani, Maliki nor Bush can solve the wrong that has been done to Iraq and its people. It’s shameful. http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69704Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:24:18 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69704John, KnoxvilleHey Bill, NY One more thing; Talabani is not the President of Iraq, rather, he is the Mayor of Baghdad’s "Green Zone". Shiat Militia controls the south, Anbar is controlled by Sunni militias and the north by Kurdish militia and so on...what nation is he keeping together? The irony is that Iraq use to have the best health care and education system in the region. This country is so dismantled today they have to send the Mayor of the Green Zone to Jordan for observation. Our soldiers are confined to their bases and cannot walk the streets before being shot at. Yes it is a fractured Nation my friend. http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69729Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:48:22 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69729Edmund Bennett, Oklahoma City, OklahomaCA in Tuscaloosa is right on the money, but doesn't go far enough. An independent Kurdistan, which would include the Kurds in Iraq AND in northern Iran (and perhaps some in eastern Turkey), aligned with Uzbekhistan, would thus control the land under which a petroleum pipeline to eastern Europe would lie. This alliance would also give Afghanistan a trading partner -- as it is, Afghanistan is completely isolated -- and dealing with such an alliance would be more profitable for the Iranian government's oil ministry than its current arrangement with the Russians and Kazakhs.http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69754Mon, 26 Feb 2007 22:12:26 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69754Keen, WashingtonCan't we all just get along?http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69803Mon, 26 Feb 2007 23:06:12 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69803C A, Tuscaloosa, ALRon Stockton - CA: Some good points. Not sure an outlet to the sea is required by all nations to be economcially viable though. On another matter, has anyone seen the Washington Post article today entitled "Bagdad Plan Has Elusive Targets". The article reports that the Iraq troops who are supposed to be aiding our forces with the security of Bagdad are basically sleeping in the camps, will not go out on patrol without American forces, and when they do go out will not insepct cars belonging to members of their own sect at checkpoints or take weapons away from members of their own sect. This is truly sad news for our military personnel who are doing the best they can. We need to get them home. http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69838Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:00:44 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69838Al Schweitzer, SFO,CAI do not care what happens to Talabani or Zebari or Barzani! What I do care about is that 3000+ of America's youth have been sacrificed, 50,000 physically or spiritually maimed and effectively abandoned when they get home. This needs to stop! Period! There is no rational reason for our boys being over there! It's time we brought them home. If Bush and Cheney need to be there, let them send members of their extended royal families... no need for farmboys from America's Heartland to be laying down their lives in this misbegotten endeavor!http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69842Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:03:36 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69842Bob, PensacolaAs an Air Force veteran from the Vietnam War and journalist, I'd just like to say bombing folks with our B-52's always makes them just love us for Jesus and the American Way. What's that little silver speck way, way, way up in the sky? Oh, those are B-52's and drones, unmanned machines in the shape of a cross we send from the California desert round the globe to bomb people, not unlike the 17 innocent Pakistanis we murdered and sent little Peter Goss hauling ass back to Florida because he murdered them. White American boys are not subject to any penalties for bombing brown folks off their oil or their dinner for instance. Bomb on America. Do it for Jesus. Do it for Exxon. Do it for the American Way and the glory of God. Can I get an amen?http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69873Tue, 27 Feb 2007 01:22:02 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69873Tom, New Yorkthe way i see it, splitting the country into three parts will do one of two things. setup years of antaganism, similar to India - Pakistan. or second, the Shia, having the most people and oil, and backing of Iran, will quickly attack and take over the Sunni section, which has no oil, less people, and Syria doesnt care. from there, there may or may not be peace with Kurdistan. http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#69925Tue, 27 Feb 2007 02:22:04 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:69925rick rodriguez, corpus christi, TXIf "Mam Jalal" has the "right stuff" for the job, what's the purpose in outing him so deliberately? His enemies will surely make use of the info.... to his detriment. Worked with the CIA, anti-Baathist ops, etc.... Was he also involved in Bremer's de-Baathification and the disappearance of 12 billion tax dollars? What a resume...! What a guy..! http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#70013Tue, 27 Feb 2007 05:29:37 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:70013Bob, MNJohn, Knoxville. If Talabani is not President of Iraq who is? I'm guessing in your little liberal conspiracy theory mind it must be hmmm...Dick Cheney? The president of Iraq is Jalal Talabani, look it up http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#70046Tue, 27 Feb 2007 07:03:49 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:70046George Montague, Sydney, AustraliaI think the "Bridge Lady" should spend some time in Muslim countries if she truly believes that they have "done what is best for their people". One of the first places she should go to is one of the Palistinian refugee camps that has been around for decades, she just might learn something.http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#70077Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:04:04 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:70077Bohdan Szejner, Kraków, PolandTo begin with, I wish Mr. Jalal Talabani a steady recovery. If however he is unable or "unwilling" to continue, this would be a historical opportunity to engineer the long needed partition! This would happen if one of the Kurds replacing the current president were covertly advocate of an independent Kurdistan, and after election would volunteer to sign a partition treaty, either turning Iraq into three autonomous states, or turning it into a U.S. Protectorate like Porto Rico, with the U.N. approval. This "indisposition" of Jalal may be a godsend for Iraq ... and for Israel!http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#70093Tue, 27 Feb 2007 12:19:31 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:70093Yavuz, Istanbul, TurkeyPeople like Talabani, puppets of invading armies, are no good to Kurds or Iraqis as a whole. Barzani and Talabani have never been independent freedom fighters, and they are good for their own clans and big brothers (US, Russia whoever pays and arms) only. And for those who think about a bigger Kurdistan with land from Turkey. It's easy drawing new lines on the maps over there, but the reality here is different. US could not bring peace to a smaller nation with vast oil supplies and using the advantage of toppling an internationally despised dictator. Do you think the case with Turkey, a bigger and modern nation with the most powerful army in the region would be any better. Wake up, this would bring a war where millions will perish and the borders will not change. But do you care? Cheap oil for your SUVs, that's all most westerners care for.http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#70174Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:57:37 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:70174Heath, NCI agree with Bridge lady, what if Britain hadnt come in? It would have worked out a lot better.http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#70245Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:02:50 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:70245John Newman essex, uk europeTalabani has done well to date, talking to the Iranians and trying to get them all involved out there. Here in GB we had a King Arthur, not british, 2 of them, one a romano britain 400ad and the other a King of wales, 600 ad, thats why you cannot find a british king arther, there wasn't one! What he did was to bring all the kingdoms of GB together and call them counties, raTHER than just keep wasting resources fighting and slaughtering each other. This lead to money and resources for education commerce and and civilisation as we now know it. The average person out there has no secondary education and is therefore very emotional, hence the problems. The Al Quida lot in Afganistan need bashing and this will prove easy once the USA gets 21500 people out there to search the arms being smuggledin from the poppy fields of Afghanistan viz Helmut which is why we must stay out there to eventually win the peace. The taliban are like the 30's in the usa and reminicent of al capone, they need to be destroyed for what they are, that is why they are so desperate to make it look like we dont know what we are doing out there, Bhagdad bombs etc... the answer is in education for their people of the region all over, then we will all win. If we dont all win it, some basketcase will eventually produce a a-bomb or bacterio or chemical something or other, could kill the whole world. Saddam was a threat, he had 10,000 gallons of bacterio whatever and did not need scuds to send it either. this stuff is powerful like a gram of plutonium will kill 7 people, 7 grammes of this stuff would kill 36,000 people! Oil tankers 20 miles apart down the Iraq eastern border an d open the stop cocks killing the world and the ocean life 200 to 2000 times over, that we could not risk and the price of lives to date is well worth it. It is bring ing that region into the modern world that is so difficult, lose this war and we will all die at the hands of some jihad monster. We cannot afford that for our children nor our childrens future, this is one small step in the developement of mankind, like the cold war was, and we must not lose ithttp://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#70268Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:13:09 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:70268C A, Tuscaloosa, AL.Yavuz from Istanbul & Bohdan from Poland: Good to see you. Nice to have voices from overseas on these message boards and to hear their thoughts and opinions. So tell us, what would your countrymen and women recommend the United States do with this mess in Iraq. http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#70375Tue, 27 Feb 2007 18:51:58 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:70375Sai, Richmond, VAI think the best USA can do in this Situation is sit with Iraqi Gorvernment and start a campaign in Iraq, highlighting the positive growth where ever it has happened. This would basically discourage the new recruits into the terror cells and also highlight that US troops are there to just stablize the situation until a stable government is formed. I think the spread of positive word would help a lot especially inside Iraq.http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#70599Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:38:17 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:70599C A, Tuscaloosa, AL.As a parent do you ever recall telling your child to behave on occasion but they continued to act in just the opposite manner that you told them not too. Frustrating isn't it? Kind of made you lose your temper just a bit didn't it. If I can recall, didn't we as owner's of this country tell our "elected" officials in the last election to behave and to get us out of Iraq. Can anyone tell me why they think they don't have too. Do we need to take them out behind the wood shed? http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#70615Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:51:37 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:70615charlie, Hanson,MaI was in iraq in 2003. we did not have enough troops to to the job. If turkey would of let us come in from the north we would of been able to leave troops behind to secure areaa. It will not matter who is in charge they do not care for human life. People from around the world can say what they want if it was not for the kind heart of the United States most counties around the world would survive. Maybe we should stop all support and close all are borders and take care of ourselves first. Maybe then the these countries would see how much they do need us...Thank youhttp://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#70671Tue, 27 Feb 2007 23:20:16 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:70671Me, here in this place, that one place."Can't we all just get along?" ~If only Iraq is fractured, but one of the reasons they can't seem to work together is because they're fractured. They don't know how to put the country back together, as each faction wants complete, unchallenged political dominance over the other parties. This means that the best option would be to have each country be independent. The Shiites and Sunnis would probably not have too many qualms about that, but the Kurds might, as there are almost no natural resources in the part of Iraq they mainly reside in. This makes me wonder if they would have any problem with being annexed to perhaps Saudi Arabia or some other neighboring middle-eastern power that could counterbalance their lack of resources. I think most of you are right here, we need to get our troops home, and we need to keep them there, we need to put more in, yet if we do, we only risk fueling the idea in the middle east that America wishes to occupy Iraq for its oil. Indecision could very well be the root of the problem. Either way, something needs done to this region before it starts a third world war. It's kinda like the balkans, and sides have been drawn: Russia and china have commercial ties with and are giving aid to Iran, which is giving weapons to Iraqi and Afghanistan paramilitary organizations who are fighting against the U.S, and most of Europe. The question now is what will follow this conflict?:resolution, cold war, world war, or Nuclear war started by Iran? One thing to be happy about though is that several middle eastern nations have set up missiles to strike down ICBM's, meaning that anything Iran might fire will probably get blown up before it leaves the middle east. "lose this war and we will all die at the hands of some jihad monster."-can't tell for sure, but I'm pretty sure that this is basically correct.http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#72747Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:22:12 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:72747James, Bluefield, WVIf I were a Sunni I would not want to live under a Shia dominated government. Their religion is far to fanatic. The US would do better to support the Sunni factions and turn the government over to them - then leave. http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#73012Wed, 28 Feb 2007 04:43:30 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:73012ChicagoHas any one ever stop and think that (HAL)Haliburton in 2001 was about 5.00 and in 2006 was over 30.00 wasn't in fact due to the no bid contract law that Bush (Cheny)inacted after 9/11.Do you think this has any similarity to the "Lady Bird Johnson" contracts of the Viet Nam War.We bombed are own air fields so Lady Bird could Rebuild Them .Where has the majority of these no-bid contracts gone?. I'm sure Dick"s stock options have made his family much more richer(600 %) since he gave up his multi-million dollar job @HALIBURTON for the meager $400,000 he makes as Vice President.We(U.S Government/Haliburton)are only there to Steal the rest of The no -bid Cash.(and that Black Gold').This War is not about democracy,it is about Hipocarcy.Shame on the these Scumbags(Bush/Cheny). http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#73683Wed, 28 Feb 2007 12:33:19 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:73683Brian, Toronto, OntarioI'm not here to lob insults. Peace is what we're all looking for - globally. Fighting for peace sounds like a strange concept. We're all brothers and sisters - regardless of color. We have to look at our inner world and clean them up. Iraq will need years and years of healing. We need to bring them love, not bombs. Get the army out, now, take the billions of dollars going to Haliburton and do something loving with that money. It's obscene to be spending that kind of money, when millions of Americans and Iraqis don't have proper healthcare. Drive Bush out of office... and get the job done Americans!!http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#73831Wed, 28 Feb 2007 14:49:16 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:73831Waheed, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaIt is intresting to see that all the comments are coming from US. Unfortunatelly the people of Iraq have no comments. Thanks to Bush who has pushed them to a point where they have to worry more about their every day survival rather than whether their president will live or diehttp://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/26/69469.aspx#73938Wed, 28 Feb 2007 15:41:19 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:73938Don, Seattle, WashingtonDivide the country into (four sections) the fourth being a (washington DC) and it would disperse the oil monies to the three large groups so that there could be a "state" of Colorado...or a " state of Florida " etc...within the country ... ethnic groups would control their own section. And their "washington" would be represented as ours.