Don Thorp is historically "challenged"

In today's Palm Beach post we see a letter to the editor written by some historically challenged individual named Don Thorp. See if you can spot how Mr. Thorp rewrites history.

In "Start timer, gain leverage, share the pain" (Opinion, Dec. 9), Thomas L. Friedman has hit the nail on the head.

Like Iraq, England in the early 1800s was torn asunder by competing factions. Scottish Presbyterians sought to take over the government. Roman Catholics were willing to fight to restore their supremacy. Rural lords were in competition with one another. Oliver Cromwell's Protestant "Roundheads" said, "enough is enough." A great civil war erupted; Cromwell's forces were victorious over the Scots and Catholics. Peace, security and democracy finally were established in England.

Let the fight begin in Iraq, and may the best man win. English history is a good lesson. There is nothing to fear but fear itself. Let's get out and let them settle their affairs.

DON THORP

Did you spot it? In case you didn't here it is -- Cromwell had already been dead for about 150 years by the time of the early 1800'. If Mr. Thorp's judgment about Iraq is as keen as his sense of history , then one must wonder about his prescriptions as well.

One also must wonder about the competence and general educational level of Pravda in Paradise's editorial staff for allowing such egregious crap to make its way into print to be presented as "fact". But then again the Post's editorial staff comes from the "Krugman school" of journalism where fact is something you make up on the spot as needed to support your political viewpoint.