Yes, it is a scandalous shame that the U.S. brought the Ba'ath Party to power in Iraq and that they supported Saddam Hussein especially though his worst crimes. That does not give them the right to go in and overthrow the government there however. Thus far the costs of the ill-though out U.S. plan have far outweighed the benefits to either Iraq, the region or the world.

There had been a chance to have the people overthrow their own government in '91, but the U.S. was to have none of that. Had that happened, there would have been no U.S. puppet government controlling Iraq. This time is different.

At any rate, my advice to Iraqi poets is this: do not write poetry that advocates true Iraqi freedom (ie. throwing out the occupiers). You will learn what TV broadcasters and news reporters have learned - you will be silenced.