Bring on *hl hockey! And stop stupid illegal wars!

I hope the show i'm watching on the History channel here in Canada is being broadcast in the U.S. It is called "Ghosts of War" and it is sort of a documentary on a journalists experiences covering war in Vietnam, as he draws parallels to the U.S. in Iraq today. And i'm also watching a St. John's Maple Leafs game against Edmonton (AHL game).

Anyway, like I said - I really hope "Ghosts of War" is being broadcast south of the border. They really need to look at the current situation in Iraq and see through the media spin. They are in the wrong, they are losing, and they have to look for a way out. Hopefully seeing this program and being able to see similarities with the current war will stir them to seek more information on the lies that led them to an unjust and sickening imperial quest.

Anyway, back to the game. St. John's is winning 1-0, but it's only the first intermission so there is lot's of hockey left to play. Speaking of hockey, I sort of hope the NHL folds and a new league emerges with hard and fast salary rules, and a commitment to calling play by the book. Start up right away with say 18 - 24 teams with a salary cap at $25-30 million, and see how fast the NHLPA members do an about face and come streaming back. They will have no other choice.

Staying in Europe is not an option for these guys. First of all there is the mindset, which will be hard to shake, that this is only temporary - to "keep in shape". No matter what any of them say, you can be guaranteed that none of them went over there with the expectation of staying for the long term.

Second, the lure of coming home will weigh heavy. Yes, I know that many of these players have brought their families over, and as nice as it may seem right now to be living in a different society, coming home to the lifestyle they are accustomed to will win out. Plus, once the same or better money is again available here why stay there?

Third - and this is just my prediction - I think the European leaques will enact rules to limit the number of foreign players that can be signed. Like Canada, they hold hockey in high regard and put resources into their national development programs. If they see a danger to thier national programs they will act.

Anyway, Rummy is telling me that "it's a different time, it's a different place". Okay Rummy. Some stats that just flashed on the screen - 58,000 dead, 120,000 verteran suicides after the war, 1/3 of the fighting force addicted to drugs. How could Americans not learn from this kind of lesson? They got spanked by the Vietnamese, and remained arrogant, learning nothing.

I'm switching back to hockey, I already know how wrong the U.S. is in Iraq, and have read enough about their past crusades to skip the rest of this show. Right on - 5 minute powerplay for St. John's early in the second, still 1-0. Go Leafs!