That's 200 plus and counting for all my conservative pals who denied the possibility of a Quagmire BEFORE the war began in Iraq. I wonder what the number will be by the election?

Two Missing U.S. Soldiers Found Dead
By PAUL HAVEN, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The bodies of two U.S. soldiers missing for days were discovered early Saturday northwest of Baghdad, as the toll rises past 200 for Americans killed since war started in Iraq...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=716&e=1&u=/ap/20030628/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq


Gee, somebody should tell Bush and his crack team of foreign policy experts.

U.N. Group Finds No Hussein-Al Qaeda Link
By TIMOTHY L. O'BRIEN NY TIMES

UNITED NATIONS, June 26 — The chairman of the monitoring group appointed by the United Nations Security Council to track Al Qaeda told reporters here today that his five-member team had found no evidence linking Al Qaeda to Saddam Hussein's administration in Iraq... (This article goes on to say Al Qaeda is still strong among Muslim fundamentalist groups and growing with hot-blooded new members ready to die for the cause...)

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/27/international/middleeast/27NATI.html


Mandela for president.

Mandela Unrelenting Ahead of Bush Tour of Africa
Fri Jun 27, 8:52 AM ET
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By Nicholas Kotch

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Former South African President Nelson Mandela kept up his verbal onslaught against George W. Bush on Friday and implied he would not meet the U.S. president when he makes his first visit to Africa next month.

Mandela condemned Bush for launching the war against Iraq, saying he was wrong to bypass the United Nations and overthrow Iraqi President Saddam Hussein by force.

"Since the creation of the United Nations there has not been a World War since 1945. Therefore, for anybody, especially the leader of a superstate, to act outside the United Nations is something that must be condemned by everybody who wants peace," Mandela told reporters after a meeting French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin.

"For any country to leave the United Nations and attack an independent country must be condemned in the strongest terms and I am very happy by the attitude taken by (French) President Jacques Chirac."

Chirac led opposition to the Iraq war, vowing to veto any U.S.-backed U.N. resolution authorizing an attack on Iraq and rallying international opposition to Bush's plans.

Mandela, 85 next month, received a Nobel Peace prize for his role in guiding South Africa from apartheid to multi-racial democracy. He stepped down as president in 1999.

DANGER TO WORLD

Mandela has repeatedly condemned Bush over Iraq. In January, he said the Texan "cannot think properly" and in Ireland last week he said the United States and Bush were dangers to the world.

The South African government under President Thabo Mbeki also opposed the war but was more restrained in its criticism.

Bush is due to make a five-nation tour of Africa from July 8-12, spending much of his time in South Africa. A courtesy call on Mandela is an obligatory part of any visiting leader's schedule but there were strong signs on Friday Bush would not meet the African statesman.

Asked if he would repeat his anti-Bush message in person, Mandela replied: "You assume that he is going to meet me. I wouldn't make that assumption. I have said what I wanted to say and I don't have to repeat it."

It was unclear who would cold-shoulder whom.

"I cannot be sure he's going to want to meet me," Mandela said.

No encounter between the two men is featured in a draft itinerary of Bush's African tour which was seen by Reuters.

A U.S. embassy spokeswoman in South Africa declined to comment on Mandela's remarks until she had studied a transcript.