Grim, grimmer, grimmest

It is not that I am anti-war. I am anti-folly. It was obvious, even to me sitting there in the cheap seats back in January of last year, that the Iraq war qualified as folly. Nothing has changed my mind about that.

Until recently, I have been an advocate of "staying the course" in Iraq. Even though I would not have chosen to attack Iraq, I recognized that once Bush pulled the trigger, it was irrevocable. I strongly felt that the troops were set sail to do the nation's business on the orders of their civilian leaders that they needed to do everything they could do to come home safe. I recognized in a quick military victory an opportunity to "nation-build."

Now, several things have happened in short order that have shaken my belief that we have any chance of success in Iraq. The marines withdrew from Fallujah. The Coallition Authority placed a Saddam-era division commander, General Salah, charge of the city in a stunning about face. Then came the pictures of torture in Abu Ghraib prison, one of Saddam's horror chambers and now, apparently, one of ours. Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

To top it off the administration's lackey, Ahmed Chalabai, has turned against them. Read Josh Marshall's post at Talking Points Memo, then head to Salon to read How Ahmed Chalabi conned the neocons.

Other's have dropped faint hopes of achieving anything worthwhile in Iraq.

From Tom Pain.com:

"Last week, conservative General William Odom—former head of the supersecret National Security Agency—became the first important former top military man to endorse the idea that the United States has bungled Iraq and needs to get out. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Odom said: "We have failed." He urged that U.S. forces be pulled out "from that shattered country as rapidly as possible.. The issue is how high a price we're going to pay—less by getting out sooner, or more by getting out later."

The Washington Times reports that 52 British diplomats are joining a dozen or so US diplomats and assorted US generals, in condeming the Iraq fiasco. They say we need to get out. They say there isn't anything we can achieve now except the further radicalization of neigboring states, more US casualties and more civilian deaths. That's their professional opinion. My friends at needlenose have always advocated just getting the heck out. When the nuts and berries crowd and the community of military professionals are on the same page, it might be time to listen up.