Tom Brokaw

Yesterday, Tom Brokaw interviewed the new Iraqi Prime Minister, Iyad Allawi and posed the following question:

"I know that you and others like you are grateful for the liberation of Iraq. But can't you understand why many Americans feel that so many young men and women have died here for purposes other than protecting the United States"?

I honestly wondered what those "other purposes" could be that would interest a Tom Brokaw? Sending out the question to friends, I received several answers that were all in the same vein:

Many people think it's either to protect Bush's friend's oil interests OR it's to finish the first Bush's efforts to get rid of Saddam.

Does Brokaw believe any of this? That the President of the United States sent U.S. soldiers to die to help his friend's in business? That the President of the United States sent U.S. soldiers to die to finish his Daddy's business?

Of course not.

I would love to have heard Brokaw's response had Allawi simply responded "other purposes? What other purposes"?

Of course, Tom Brokaw would never allow himself to be televised defending foolish conspiracy theories. Even if he answered, it would have ended up on the editing room floor.

Then why pose the question?

Tom Brokaw was against the war and is against this administration. By mentioning "other purposes" without stating what they were, he gives credence that there may be legitimate questions to U.S., or more precisely, Bush Administration motives. The fact that those "other reasons" are absurd went unspoken.

We should expect more from the anchor of the nationally televised NBC Network Evening News, especially in times of war.

Or should we?

Let's pick up the interview where I left off:


Allawi:

Other purposes? What other purposes?

Brokaw:

Uh...ahem...many people think this was a war for oil.

Allawi:

Oil? I'm confused. Is not the United States purchasing Iraqi oil?

Brokaw:

Well, yes.

Allawi:

Are they not paying the world market price?

Brokaw:

Um, I think so...

Allawi:

Was not the United States purchasing oil from Saddam?

Brokaw:

Yes, but...

Allawi:

Wait a moment! Didn't I hear the same thing about liberating Kuwait?

Browak:

Moving on...

Allawi:

As I understand it, the only people who were not buying Iraqi oil at market prices were stinking U.N. bureaucrats who were reselling Iraqi oil at market prices and stealing billions of dollars from Iraqi children! And you ask me about "other purposes"?!?!?! Out! Out of my site, you son of a camel's whore!

Like I said - on the editing room floor.