The big flap today is the Obama administration's very own Pentagon Papers, the Afghan war classified documents leak to the Wikiliki(sic?) whistle blower website. Most of the leak appears to be embarrassing, but not necessarily earthshaking stuff, the kind of material the Masters of War like to keep from the public to cover their own ass (the enemy usually is perfectly aware of most of it). As the Wiki webmaster himself put it in a press conference, "War is just one damned thing after another". Most of the revelations are probably stuff like command blunders, friendly fire incidents, collateral damage, civilian casualties, and other regrettable, but not always avoidable, screw ups that occur in every war. No big deal, really, but what really stings isn't so much the compromised secrets, but the evidence of cover-ups in high places, and especially, how much is classified that shouldn't be, simply because it might hurt someone's career.

But one supposed secret that appears to be a really big deal is alleged evidence that factions in the Pakistani military and intelligence apparat are working hand-in-hand with the Taliban (or is it Al-Quaeda?--does it matter?) to kill coalition soldiers. Not that it makes a difference, even if true; the point is that this presents the Obama White House an excuse to get out of the war. I'm sticking my neck out on this, and it's all strictly speculation on my part since I have no evidence, but I suspect factions in the White House, maybe even Obama himself, have decided this war may be unwinnable.

Oh, they'll give it the old college try, all right; they'll surge, change strategy and commanders, do the usual sand-table dance because they really do want to win, it's the right thing to do. Besides, if we stall for a while longer, we might get lucky and take out Ossama, and that's an excuse to end the war right there. It will look good on Obama's resume, and it will be good for the country.

But they also know that despite our best intentions, victory may just not be possible, and a repeat of the Iraq debacle is just not going to happen. As old General Pyrrhus himself once put it, "Another victory like that and we're finished!" After a decent interval, if real progress isn't evident, I suspect Obama will try to get out so that we are completely disentangled by the 2012 election. In other words, things better turn around pretty quick or we'll be looking for an out. It all falls in with our withdrawal that is not a withdrawal, remember that. The 2011 withdrawal may not be necessary, now we can blame it on the Pakis.

What better way to save face than to simply throw up our hands and say "How can we win this if our Paki allies are just not behind us 100%"? People will believe that, because, after all, it might even be true. But it doesn't have to be true. Either way, we get out and save face, too.

I don't want to be a cynic and imply this leak is a plant, it might even be legitimate, (it might be true, or not, or even somewhere in between) but the timing is convenient and if it wasn't placed there to be used, then it might still be taken advantage of and used as a means to an end.

You heard it here first, folks.