Rudy and Newt try to be relevant

Come, let us relive the 1990s--a period when the music on the radio was oftimes of decent quality, nobody knew who Paris Hilton was, and we had a president with some governing ability and a first lady with a personality. Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrish are bringing back the nostalgia, mainly by reminding us all that they still exist outside the bubble of 2008 presidential predictions.

Their recent editorial on Situation FUBAR is all about how we can secure Iraq once and for all and turn it into a stable country. They have all kinds of constructive suggestions that would be okay in their imaginary world but aren't too feasible in a country of religious groups that can't stand each other and ethnic groups that want their own country.

We must try to achieve constructive and compassionate goals through conservative means--jump starting civic improvement and the individual work ethic in Iraq, without creating permanent subsidies. The goal is to get more Iraqis working, especially young males, who are most susceptible to the terrorist and warlord recruiters.

Uh...Rudy? Newt? It isn't necessarily lack of jobs that leads young Iraqi males to join terrorist groups. There are other factors at work. Have either of you guys bothered to read up on Iraq before you wrote this?

Newt and Rudy also propose an Iraqi Citizen Job Corps. Not unlike Americorps--yet, as Ranger Against War points out--Republicans were dead set against Americorps and since Clinton left office, the program budget has been slashed but good.

Perhaps Rudy can explain why a, ahem, socialist program such as a federal job corps program is a good idea for Iraq but a lousy idea for the United States.

Sigh...At this point, they might as well just formally annex Iraq if they want to give the country all these goodies that they're taking away from American citizens.