But the Rest of the Play was Wonderful, Wasn't it, Mrs. Lincoln?

The New York Times reports the latest news from Fallujah and Ramadi. It's a long (4 page) article--but if you have the time, definitely read it.

To very briefly summarize--things are so screwed up in the region that the US finds itself occasionally protecting former Baathists, sometimes arresting them, while Islamic militants either kill or co-opt them. Both towns are enemy territory--and both are but a short distance from Baghdad, providing safe haven for resistance fighters.

The pro-war, pro-Bush crowd really doesn't get it. This isn't a football game, where cheerleading is expected, even when the team's down by three touchdowns with only a minute or so to go. War is a serious business, and requires careful analysis. This is no time to get into some sort of dingbat pissing contest. The facts should be looked, and cold, calculated reasoning must be applied. And the facts speak for themselves. Iraq is a massive screw up.

Hell, the clowns running the war didn't even apply the Powell doctrine, which might at least have resulted in enough of a miltary presence to keep a lid on the situation for a while. Now, even IF they could raise the troop level, it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference.

But no one in a position of power has the guts to say anything. And, yeah, this is where I'll put in a good solid crit towards Senator Kerry--even as I know he's constrained by the attack lackeys of Team Bush, who would jump all over any statement to that effect with the zeal of bikers coming across an unguarded crank factory. Jeez, we are fucked.