Is the Looking Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

The Washington Post has a report about three GOP stalwarts questioning the Bush "strategy" on Iraq, which has a Potemkin-village quality about it. While Bush tours the country with visions of Iraqi democracy dancing through his head, the reality, as evinced by the N.I.E. report, is, um, a hell of a lot bleaker--and that's putting it nicely. Atrios linked to a column from Editor and Publisher by Bob Mitchell that makes a pretty convincing case that Dubya has some things in common with Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf, aka Baghdad Bob, when it comes to official pronouncements versus reality. Another Atrios link to something written by Mark Steyn, shows just how far removed from reality the warmongers are--Steyn crows about how in "11 of 18...provinces, not a single US soldier has died."

So, we've "liberated"--for the moment--11/18th's of Iraq. Um, I wouldn't call that a resounding success. In fact, one could easily take the position that if Americans get killed in two more provinces (and, quite honestly, let's hope that doesn't happen), then half the country could be considered hostile.

Meanwhile, the ugliness continues: car bombs, hostages, beheadings--you name it. Also, over in Afghanistan, reports are starting to surface of prisoner abuse along Abu Ghraib'ian lines (speaking of which--have you noticed how the Abu Ghraib story itself has for the most part been thrown down the memory hole? Nobody likes to air their own dirty laundry, I guess).

And, courtesy of Needlenose, we have this story about Iyad Allawi and his house in Baghdad--to get there, you have to go through a maze of concrete and submit to a level of search that would do any maximum security prision proud. Ahhh...smell the scent of Iraqi democracy--dumpster juice with a thin coating of air freshener.

By the way--Riverbend was finally able to post again (thanks to Scaramouche for noticing and writing his own post). I think about her, Salam Pax, and Raed Jarrar whenever someone waxes eloquently and oh-so-ignorantly about the "fog of war" or "collateral damage." It's awfully easy to use those terms when you're not caught up in it.

I've often wondered what the average wingnut response would be if it were possible to liberate and pacify Iraq with the loss of only a single US individual. Here's the catch: it would HAVE to be someone that said wingnut loved very much--a spouse, a relative, a good friend--and said wingnut would have to deliver the news personally to that individual. Would it be worth it? I'd love to see the response.