Lessee. No nukes, WMDs, democracy, and now the Iraqis say stability is not in reach. No buying time. Three things are obvious:

1: If Bush could have "won" this war, he would have done it. After all, look at the American military budget.

2: If al-Maliki could have effected a political resolution, there would be considerable progress toward it.

3: If the Iraqis could create a secure environment for themselves, they would have. If the police and army could function as state, rather than religious, forces, they would be.

Americans, and Iraqis, are dying for what? Oil, I guess, and the religious war against Islam. It sure gets hard to continue the old rationalizations, but I'm sure the Conservatives can do it. Doesn't need to make sense, or conform to reality.

Arf