The attack on the Iranian consulate by American forces in Iraq is disturbing to say the least. Clearly a provocation to Iran and a violation of international law. Even more disturbing is Pat Buchanan's take on it. He believes that the Bush-Cheny doctrine is to attack Iran and destroy their nuclear bomb making capacity and that they intend to do it soon. The prezut said he was moving an air craft carrier into the gulf and also putting Patriot missles into Iraq. Patriot missles are defensive. Who does he think is going to shoot at us? The insurgency? And why would we need air power? Of course it is to attack Iran and defend against their response.

reality based educator has the details.

I've been amused this week by what happened after the preznut's speechification on Wednesday. Same ole thing, everyone got out to sell the plan to the people. Condi going here and there, Cheny too. Bushie himself selling it to soldiers, an increasingly difficult audience. The question is . . . Why? I mean he's the CIC so if he orders it, it is so. The congress can't really cut him off. So why the sales job? He's not running for office. He can do whatever he wants to do.

Another oddity has come to my attention. Even with the surge, which Condi calls and augmentation now, we won't have as many soldiers in Iraq as we did roughly a year ago. If the problem has been that there aren't enough troops and now there are still fewer than last year, what kind of surge is that? Why no surge at all by me. If we were surging wouldn't we be going to record high levels? Not so.

At the same time as the surge announcement, the British announced that 3000 of their folks are withdrawing. Really a coordinated effort by the allies, huh?

Face it. Iraq is lost in the administrations judgement. All efforts are to prop things up until he is out of office so he can blame it on someone else. I can just hear him now, "That would have never happened when me 'n Dick was running things." I'm really tired of hearing about how potentially bad this could be for America. Think about how bad it is for Iraqis.