ARTICLE: "Foreign firms investing in Iraq: U.S. Companies slow to make the move," by Jim Michaels, USA Today, 17 June 2008, p. 1A.

Paul Brinkley, head of the Pentagon office who talked Enterra into entering Iraq, is quoted as saying "It's ironic" that the firms rushing into Iraq to take advantage are not American.

Actually, it's not ironic whatsoever.

Check out the countries described in the piece: Romania, Lebanon, China, Russia, Turkey, France, Germany.

None sent troops, but all showed up for the peace.

"Come as you are" meets "come when you want."

Iraqi foreign minister says: "They take risks. No pain, no gain."

And before you freak on the war-peace divide, realize that 95 percent of our troops die after "mission accomplished" and 85-plus percent since the end of the "lost year."

These countries were our unacknowledged partners all along.

You can either be shocked by that or realize that making it our war to run doesn't translate into making it our peace to exploit.

(Thanks: Rob Johnson)