Scouse by birth mate, but we are from Wexford and IoM (Last visited for the thousandth anniversary of parliament (Tynwald, 1979)).

Does alcohol fuel the pen more than genes?

Somebody sent comments from the PVB website---apparently I am a "has-been contractor" from Iraq.

I thought that when I was sworn in on the steps of the State Department's main hall, and they issued me a Diplo Passport, that maybe I was a little more than just one a contractor. What did I know?

PS: Helped to have Tom Ricks as pro bono editor/press agent.

Here's the part I think I learned from that cathartic exercise:

1. Rumsfeld's Pentagon could never have ended the war, nor could State as it was.
2. War has three parts: Beginning, middle and end, each of which is a separate part that somebody has to go and do.
3. Iraq was surprisingly well resources with civilian expertise, via the 2008 civilian surge, if and when it was used.
4. The military in 2008 became committed and synchronized to end the war (much more than many recognize), and they were an (the?) essential factor (contrary to the myth that the military cannot produce peace).
5. Regardless of the military aspects, the Surge was essential to create the conditions for the end, which effectively occurred with the execution of the SOFA.
6. Without those 2008 combined successes (civ/mil/Iraq turnover), we would still be debating the troop deployments for next year.
7. You did not have to be pro-iraq war to be pro-iraq end of war (the 2007/8 part).
8. Only the Iraqis can make peace with themselves, create a future.
9. These factors may not be applicable to Afghanistan, which is a different problem set.