I Think I'd Be Calling in Sick

Iyad Allawi continues to follow in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein:

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's interim government, preparing for an election next month while fighting a bloody insurgency, asked some of Saddam's Hussein's disbanded army to come back to work on Wednesday.

The Defense Ministry proclamation invited former soldiers in the old Transport Corps to serve in the new U.S.-backed army, 18 months after the U.S. occupation authority formally demobilized Saddam's 375,000-strong military.

"Those interested must apply at the Muthanna base in Baghdad," read the proclamation, referring to a main recruitment center, which has been coming under attack from insurgents regularly.

Hmmm. You have to apply at a base under regular attack. You'll be third or fourth tier, meaning your equipment will be bottom of the barrel (if you're assigned any equipment at all). The only thing you can count on is that you MIGHT not get killed by US forces.

Doesn't sound like much incentive.

Oh, and here's the latest in the global conflict. Seems we're not getting any safer at all. I've been wondering when we'd start to see a followup to the Bali bombing. Indonesia is the largest predominently Muslim country in the world, and I can't imagine they're terribly thrilled by the Bush administration's posturing.

Even scarier would be if India or Pakistan explodes in religious violence.

"Praying for World Peace" is now a bit more significant than something a beauty pageant contestant says when asked about her goals...