Iraq news not forged

While the media masturbates over Bush's service records the situation in Iraq continues to, shall we say, decline.

Over the weekend something like 110 people died and 200 were wounded in Baghdad.

While Iraqis try to kill a few Americans and Americans kill lots of Iraqis outside the Green Zone. Life inside the Green Zone paints a picture of an occupation supremely disconnected from the nation we seek to build.

To some, the Green Zone feels like a vast isolation chamber. One recent night at a saloon called The Bunker, a resident contractor asked, "So, what's going on out there in Iraq anyway?" He hadn't left the Green Zone in six months. "It's like Plato's republic in here, all of these well-meaning, smart people who want to do the right thing," says one security contractor and Green Zone regular. "But they never leave here and they have no idea what's happening in the country they're supposed to be building. It's totally absurd."

In another story, Marine Lt. Gen. James T. Conway who was in charge of US forces during the siege of Falluja has criticized the method and timing of US strategy saying,

"When you order elements of a Marine division to attack a city, you really need to understand what the consequences of that will be and not vacillate in the middle of something like that," he said. "Once you commit, you have to stay committed."

When the generals start complaining of civilian interference on the battlefield, it is time to start questioning the battle itself. But more to the point, Dear Leader didn't know what to do.

Have you noticed a sudden derth of editorials attempting to perfume the stink of the Iraq pig with claims that the media is just not showing all the good things that are happening there? I have. That's because the situation in Iraq is worse than you think.

Now, some pundits have put forward the proposition that Kerry and Bush have the same position on Iraq. Fundamentally, I guess that's true: Bush says stay the course; Kerry says stay the course. I don't think anybody knows what will happen after the election. But the very examination of the issue misses the point right now.

The Iraq war is a flaming bag of dog shit on the doorstep of America. The adolescents who filled and lit the bag ran giggling directly to the podium at the GOP National Convention to accept their party's nomination for a second term as President and Vice President of the United States. It is a flabbergasting masterpiece of branding that the President emerged from that convention more trusted by the American people than Kerry to manage the war. I give Rove credit where credit is due for the quality of his spin. But spin won't make Iraq free. Spin won't make us safer. Spin won't stop our porch from catching fire.

It will take strong, creative leadership to solve Iraq. Kerry isn't the one who lit the bag. Kerry is the one who has opened the door to find it flaming at his feet. It is to his credit, and all of our benefit, that he is the kind of person who will consider his options well before he stomps blindly down on the fire.