War-weary Sean Penn reports on Iraq 'powder keg'

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N14467384.htm

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Actor Sean Penn's byline as a foreign correspondent appeared on Wednesday in the San Francisco Chronicle, with the Hollywood bad boy warning in a lengthy personal account of his November tour in Iraq that the occupation by U.S. forces there "could ignite a powder keg."

"People from all sides of the debate acknowledge that the insurgency movement builds every day in manpower and organizational strength," Penn wrote.

"The Iraqis I speak to say that the U.S. policy of de-Baathification is devoid of consideration of long-term goals, human nature and Arab culture and thus could ignite a powder keg," Penn warned, referring to efforts to round up former leaders of ex-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's Baath Party.

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[Clark4VotingRights]

1. Ohmygod that was an amazing column. He's a dang fine writer.

And a brave person.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest.

[Voltaire99]

4. One of the best writer-directors alive

Penn is a formidable talent. Anyone who hasn't seen his films should take a look at "The Indian Runner," The Crossing Guard" and "The Pledge," all on DVD.

It's America's good luck that he's also now writing nonfiction about its misbegotten military adventures.

[54anickel]

2. Here's a link

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/01/14/DDGG048F0G1.DTL

[cthrumatrix]

3. but but shrubby says everything is fine..they have been planning the

war for yrs (thnx to clinton) and the number of troops killed is down if you listen to the "right media"