The definition of Chutzpah

BAGHDAD, July 30 — Two high-ranking Iraqi government officials said Sunday that their country was fighting international terrorists on its own soil on behalf of other countries and should, as a result, be compensated with economic and military assistance.

So reports New York Times reporterPaul von Zielbauer in: Iraqi Officials Ask for Aid for Global War on Terror.

Am I the only one this reminds of the olds story of the child who kills his parents and than pleads mercy because he's an orphan? They've bred a home-grown civil war, and we've bred an insurgency devoted to driving us out. So far they've been content to kill each other. I would think the surest way to turn them into international terrorists would be to get more nations involved.

Okay, maybe that's a little glib.

In my humble opinion, what we really need is a Gulf States' equivalent of Nato or Seato (remember that one?) with participation from the US and EEC, that can send an international ARAB force into Iraq, comprised from the armies of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iran Syria (and yes, even Israel) etc. etc. and which would have the moral authority in that part of the world which the West simply lacks, to move in with authority and maintain peace in situations like those currently standing in Lebanon, Iraq (and Gaza? and the West Bank?).