"So who does one believe?"
"The one with the gun."
"Well, in this case I am inclined to believe the ones without the guns."
"That's not politic in today's world - could get you killed. Remember the you are with us or against us dictum of George Bush!"
"Yes I do - I mean in a country like ours one is not allowed to forget that dictum, among some others of a more national character."
"What ones are those?"
"Well, that it is in the national interest to vote a certain way, and the opposing view that it is not in the national interest to vote a certain way..."
"Ah yes. Heard that often enough. But what were you referring to earlier when you questioned who to believe."
"I was referring to the raid by US soldiers on a mosque in Baghdad with the soldiers maintaining they had recovered a cache of arms and the Imam of the mosque accusing them of beating the worshippers and all."
"I thought it was in the Geneva Convention that places of worship have to be left alone."
"Well, that doesn't apply in an occupation apparently."
"But can you blame the American soldiers? I mean their leaders have placed them in a country where they are not wanted. They are not looked on as liberators but as occupiers which makes them fair targets for any Iraqi who considers himself a freedom fighter."
"But still to go into a mosque and beat up the worshippers and take the donation box!..."
"Is not good but what do you expect. I believe there is no love lost between the Iraqis and the American soldiers."
"Did you hear of the so-called surprise visit paid by poodle to Iraq. Thought he looked and sounded rather flustered."
"As he ought to - first his claims were challenged by Bremer, the American in charge of Iraq, who said he didn't expect to see any weapons of mass destruction, then there is the Hutton inquiry which is likely to slap him on the hand and then I think he is also concerned with the new Tory leader Michael Howard who seems better at his job than his predecessors."
"I do wish the poodle would do something original. First Bush pays a surprise visit followed by the Spanish leader and now Blair the last of the three stooges."
"The only problem with Blair is he thinks he is Moe, the leader the smart one, but I think he is really Larry."
"Indeed."