Lee said:

>I'm not sure that the U.S. is doing the right thing.  I just don't know. 
It's my country, right or wrong, and I'll stick by her, taking my licks for
any mistakes along with my fellow citizens.  An honest man can do no less
when he knows that innocents in Afghanistan, Iraq or any other country are
suffering the consequences of the acts of their country's leaders.  All of
this, however, is beside the point.<

Quite OK, once the firing has started, got to support your troops. 

>Neither I, nor any other American that counts for much in my estimation
has failed to note who is standing tall with us on this.  We have not
missed the contribution of Great Britain and we have not missed the
contribution of our Australian brothers in this conflict or in past ones. 
We have also not missed the failure of France and Germany to stand by our
side as we once stood by theirs.  Their may be no payback . . . there
probably should be no payback, but that does not mean nobody has noticed.<

Here we get to the bullshit part. France has never fought a war against the
US (the English did). And I don't recall the US helping the Germans fight
Stalin (not that I think you should have in 44-45). 

After that (@1947) we became a buffer state against the Russians. You might
call that 'standing by us'. I might argue that it was mostly in yer own
bloody interest.

The unveiled threats for failing to follow orders from DC have been duly
noted in Old Europe. The Bushies had told us from day 1 that alliances and
international treaties are obsolete, the allies would not be consulted, but
the would be given the option to follow orders, or else. Remember Kyoto,
International Court, ban on landmines, trade war over steel, etc, etc. The
Bushies do not want allies, they want vassals. And that's what you are
going to get. I see Uzbekistan in the 'coalition of the billing'. One of
the worst dictatorships of the former USSR  republics. 

I also see Italy and Spain there (does Shrub still call the guy 'Anzar'?).
Contributing nothing except overfly rights, which of course GER and F are
also providing. We are eagerly awaiting your 'payback'. That should be fun.
Everytime Rumsfeld opens his mouth, another ally dives for cover.  

>... to stand by our side as we once stood by theirs.<

Remember when Saddam stood by 'your' side? When he was fighting Iran with
your blessing and your help and using gas on them? I puke whenever I see
Bush/Rummy mention that Saddam must be removed  because he 'gassed his own
people'. Of course he did. 1988 in Halabja. He used Tabun and mustard gas.
A UN Security Council resolution denouncing Iraq was derailed back then.
And who tried to blame the whole thing on Iran just so Saddam would not be
implicated?. Guess once. The US, 'standin tall', as always.

>To our Australian brothers, thank you for being what you have always been,
at least in my lifetime, faithful to those who you have chosen to call
mates and who have chosen to call you the same.  God bless and protect your
citizens at risk.  May their efforts be brief, successful and safe.  For
me, this is not politics, it's brotherhood, and there is no emotion
stronger than that shared by brothers, even those who happen to be female.<

Translation:
We thank those, whose governments were suckered into joining us into an
illegal war of aggression to occupy the world's second most important oil
resources. And to help us show the ragheads who's boss. We will soon forget
about your contribution, more specifically, as soon as we feel the need to
start another trade war against you. 

M