Or “Why they Love Us.” From Fox News:

The U.S. military swept through Iraqi neighborhoods early Saturday, firing at houses suspected to be harboring hostile forces in the wake of an apparent attack on a Black Hawk helicopter that killed six U.S. soldiers.

Backed by Bradley fighting vehicles, American troops bombarded buildings with machine guns and heavy weapons fire.

“This is to remind the town that we have teeth and claws and we will use them,” said Lt. Col. Steven Russell, commander of the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment.

I really do understand the need to use force in the wake of the downing of a US helicopter. But shooting at houses like this seems a rather random approach that can only win us more hardened enemies. Imagine if it was your house, with your kids inside.

Link via TPM, who also posts this wonderful quote from Dick Cheney on the stump yesterday:

In Iraq, a ruthless dictator cultivated weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. He gave support to terrorists, had an established relationship with al Qaeda — and his regime is no more.

Cultivated??

Why is Cheney doing this? How long can he be allowed by Bush to consciously continue a blatant disinformation campaign?

Don’t get me wrong — Saddam is right up there with the world’s nastiest men. But there’s plenty we can say about him that is true; why does Cheney insist on playing up the extremely shaky (and probably non-existent) al-Qaeda link?

The fact that he does so indicates he has a deep and cynical contempt for the intelligence of the American people. (I guess if he can actually get away with it, that contempt may, sadly, be justified. I hope not.)