. . . More than 14,000 candidates, including about 3,900 women, are running for 440 seats on the influential councils in all of Iraq’s provinces except for the autonomous Kurdish region in the north and the province that includes oil-rich Kirkuk, where ethnic groups were unable to reach a power-sharing formula.

I was there during the first elections five years ago. Wow, time does fly! I am hopeful that this trend will continue. It would be wonderful to visit a restored Baghdad or Mosul someday.

We are judged by the company we keep (at least that’s what Mom said). Would I have a friend who protested in the 60′s or fled to Canada or participated in crimes against the government – no.

It is a fact in America we are quick to forgive and forget.  Partly because we really don’t teach history but mostly because we are always looking to the future. Not necessarily a bad thing.

But some, like me, don’t find it easy to forgive and forget some things. I think it is because of the time I spent in the military. Bill Ayers (a legend in his own mind), shown here in a photograph from Chicago Magazine, would not be my friend. Not only do I see him as a weak coward, I am mad he is teaching, writing and making a profit from being a revolutionary.

”I don’t regret setting bombs,” Bill Ayers said. ”I feel we didn’t do enough.”

Oh really. That is exactly how I feel. I don’t feel like we did enough to squash worms like him.

And now, Ayers is making money from his days of crime. He is not really a true rebel. He was and is that way only when it is convenient. When it brings him attention. When it strokes his ego. Otherwise he wouldn’t just be talking about it from his comfy college job with his Starbucks in hand. He would be out there blowing something up. (How brave to stomp on a flag with no one about except the photo crew.)

And sadly, some people are drawn to idiots like this - even those running for political office. That is their mistake and I am not likely to forget that either. In fact, because of their association with Ayers, I am willing to conclude that they share some of his beliefs. Not something I would want in a President.