Great story in Stars and Stripes showing how soldiers are being misused in Mr Bu$h’s ego-war.

MOSUL, Iraq — Earlier this year, while searching a propane factory for bomb-making materials, American soldiers based in Mosul discovered several hidden coffee cans stuffed with money.

Suspicions arose among the soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.

The owner of the business said he was hiding the thick wads of large-denomination bills from his wife, said the 2-7’s commanding officer, Lt. Col. Eric Welsh, 42, of Hershey, Pa.

“But you just knew that something was not right,” Welsh said. “You could just tell that something stinks.”

Obviously he was lying. Men: have you ever successfully hidden money from your wives?

I rest my case.

The war in Iraq is often viewed as an ideologically fueled conflict with insurgents fighting for religious, sectarian and political causes. But soldiers with the 2-7 have discovered that, at least in Mosul, the driving force behind hostilities is often considerably baser.

“It’s driven by money,” said Capt. Jakub Andrews, 30, of Los Angeles. “So much of it is like a mob mentality.”

During their effort to target the financiers of the insurgency, soldiers have stumbled onto an underworld of nefarious schemes that calls to mind the ruthlessness — and ingenuity — of crime syndicates around the world.

“It’s like the ‘Sopranos’ here,” Welsh said, referring to the HBO series. “Anywhere there’s money to be made, there’s a racket.”

My first thought here was that what we need is a few forensic accountants from the FBI and IRS and we can bring all the troops home. Or maybe send a few Bu$h Pioneers and Rangers over there because those guys can sniff out large amounts of money at 30 kilometers. I know the troops would be happy to see some Bu$hCo apparatchiks lending a helping hand in crushing the insurgency or, as it is better known, the resistance.

A key point coming up. All those who believe Iran is the evilest country that ever existed can move on to something else.

Soldiers with the 2-7 began a concerted effort to target the financiers of the insurgency in April, unit leaders said.

Unit leaders felt it was not enough to target those who built and placed roadside explosives, but also those who funded the threat.

“It takes money to buy military-grade munitions. It takes money to bring in foreign fighters,” Welsh said. “The bottom line is to fight a war, it takes money.” [emph added]

But tackling Mosul’s criminal underworld was, at first, easier said than done, unit leaders recalled.

Has no one told this simpleton O-5 that Iran is supposed to be giving away these weapons because they are the evilest nation ever and they hate us for our freedoms? Doesn’t he know that Mahmoud Ahmadinejan is the 21st century Hitler? He now expresses the opinion of the US Army (and MNF-I, CENTCOM, and HQ, DA) that the Iranians are selling these weapons to the resistance?

How did he ever make Lieutenant Colonel if he can’t follow “Command Guidance” ? I’m just a simple ole bokedown sergeant and I know you don’t sell deadly weapons to your proxies.

One last point:

As Welsh often points out, his is the only battalion assigned to a city with 1.8 million to 2.5 million inhabitants.

Send in 20 or 30 Blackwater super-soldiers. They’ll keep the peace. Send in the FBI and bring the uniforms home. As long as there are no Saudis involved, the Bureau will catch the bad guys.

Thursday Video Bonus

Because, even in cholera-ridden Iraq, Life is a Cabaret, my friends