Whose Mustard Was It Anyway?

Baghdad Iraq
33° 14' North; 44°22' East

The fact that Donald Rumsfeld is currently battling his pesky guardian Angel hasn't stopped the Big Neandercon Machine from doing what it does best - spinning reality one newsycle at a time.

This time around they've managed to focus the mighty Whirlitzer on the showtrial of Ali Hassan al-Majiid in an effort to return FOX-addled hearts and minds to the task at hand, the democraptactic installation of the latest puppetary regime in Iraq.

Which begs the question asked by Eric Margolis:

"Who was the first high government official to authorize use of mustard gas against rebellious Kurdish tribesmen in Iraq?

If your answer was Saddam Hussein's cousin, the notorious "Chemical Ali" -- aka Ali Hassan al-Majid -- you're wrong.

The correct answer: Sainted Winston Churchill. As colonial secretary and secretary for war and air, he authorized the RAF in the 1920s to routinely use mustard gas against rebellious Kurdish tribesmen in Iraq and against Pashtun tribes on British India's northwest frontier."

Now don't get us wrong. We are not suggesting that Chemical Ali was not a barbarian. All we are saying is that we would like to see the trial be the real thing, taking place in, say, the Hague. Because that would ensure that all, rather than just the Rovian/Wolfman version, of the facts come out.

And if Mr. Margolis is right some of those facts point in very uncomfortable directions indeed.