[SunStar]

...the last thing that we need to do is to appear to merely be replacing Saddam with ourselves in his palaces.

Who cares how it "appears"? We need to stop basing our decision-making on how much the Left or the "Arab Street" will complain.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Who cares how it "appears"? We need to stop basing our decision-making on how much the Left or the "Arab Street" will complain.

Actually I don't believe that the Administration has done much decision making based on what the arab street thinks.

However, it would look better to the Iraqis if we took more modest digs for ourselves. IMHO