Hi,

So, I get the newspaper every day now, so that my wife and I can do the crossword puzzle together in the morning. Of course, there's plenty of war on the front page.

What I found surprising was that there's a new plan reported which is basically not to try to take Baghdad, but instead to try to isolate it from the rest of the country, and then install a new government outside of Baghdad. The general idea is to obviate Baghdad and the Ba'ath Party government by containing it to the city of Baghdad. Any confirmation?

While I am no fan of the war, I find this a rather refreshing development, if true. At the very least, there is some chance that bulk of the civilians of Baghdad won't endure the brunt of urban warfare.

I think it's a risky effort, if attempted -- I doubt the forces loyal to the Ba'ath Party will happily remain inside the city limits and not test our forces mercilessly -- but it perhaps shows that the Bush administration has at least a smidgeon of concern about the Iraqi people. My cynical nature suggests that it's only because of the realization that showing no concern at all guarantees that no stability will ever be achieved in the Middle East, but, hey, it's a start.

=-John-=