Jobs tour completed, candidate Brian Dubie recently opted out of a televised union-sponsored debate in Barre that might have proved a useful venue to discuss his insights on the state job situation. His absence and low key campaign style gives added significance to all the appearances he does make and utterances he does utter.  

Years ago, Vermont joined thirteen other states in court to tighten standards for new car fuel emissions. Now those standards have been adapted by the Obama administration. Certainly there were generous cheers and credit was shared liberally at the ceremony in Montpelier.

At the event, gubernatorial hopeful Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie readily weighed in, happily recalling a special evening on a rooftop in Baghdad and also curiously declaring that “Green really is green,” while brandishing a dollar bill.  

Dubie reflected on a conversation he had with a U.S. military general on a Baghdad roof in Iraq last year. That general, looking over an evening skyline in the war-torn country, pressed for the need to move off of foreign oil coming from "dangerous parts of the world."  He said clean energy and reducing car emissions are essential to the country's environmental and economic health and safety.  "Green really is green," Dubie said, holding up a dollar bill he took from his pocket.

Times Argus  

Last year in Iraq?

Unless this is a regular occurrence in the life of Brian, he seems confused about when he shared a memorable evening on a rooftop in Baghdad with a U.S. military general.  

From an article Dubie wrote for Aerospace States Association

October, 2007 On a mid-September evening in 2006, I stood on a rooftop overlooking the city of Baghdad with a U.S. Air Force Commanding General. I was deployed to Iraq as an Air Force reservist and member of an Air Force field assessment team.

The city was beautiful at night, but it was not peaceful. The General turned to me and said, “Brian, America has to find ways to use less oil — especially oil that comes from dangerous parts of the world.”