Forget the human toll on the CIA outing, what was the cost to the taxpayer, when

[The Backlash Cometh]

Brewster-Jennings was outed? If you're trying to reach the insular American, you need to reach him in his armchair. How much in tax dollars were wasted because Dick Cheney wanted Joe Wilson out of his way?

[jgraz]

1. Seriously, you think tax dollars will have more of an effect than dead intelligence agents?

I'm not one to criticize taking a snobby view of Joe Sixpack, but damn. If someone isn't persuaded by American agents being killed, why do you think tax money will crack their shell?

[bunkerbuster1]

2. Joe Sixpack can rationalize the dead agents (and soldiers)

They're volunteers, after all. But the closing-in-on-half-a-trillion we've pissed away on this stupid Warren Terra, that's another thing.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. That's what I'm talking about.

They need to know how many laps around the track they're behind due to poor management.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. I absolutely do believe that they would be more interested in learning

how much money was wasted, over any potential loss of CIA agents. Remember before they started supporting an Iraq withdrawal, these idiots said that our soldiers knew what they were getting into before they signed up. So, why would they care what happens to a CIA agent?

[Igel]

5. An answer as to toll in dollars or in lives would help sway people.

But there are no answers, so the question just prompts people to either believe what they want or believe what you're suggesting.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Americans have reached the point where they don't care about the human

toll, unless it involves them directly. Even 9/11 only had about a 9 month empathy period. After that, the further degrees you were from someone who got killed, the less empathy the American had for New Yorkers due to 9/11.

Do, you know that thing about not leaving a soldier behind? Do you think that still sticks in the American conscience?