Notes from Iraq

Christopher Albritton is back in Baghdad. "Car bombs in Beirut seem almost quaint compared to this place, and I'd forgotten how casually violent it is here."

Lesson for purple-fingered, crowing American politicians: holding an election ≠ achieving democracy. In fact, it doesn't even equal forming a government.

Remember how often you heard a right winger announce that we had improved the plight of women in Iraq? As if. (last two links via Juan Cole)

While we are busy congratulating ourselves for ousting a criminal regime, crime in Iraq has now grown to the point that it's killing more people than the insurgency.

Ukraine heads for the exit from the quickly shrinking Coalition of the Willing.

Oh, and in case you hadn't noticed, our "few bad apples" are quickly turning into an orchard.

So, as the polling steadily slides toward acknowledgement that Operation Tarbaby was a singularly stupid idea, I hope you'll forgive me for rolling my eyes and mumbling, "Y'all are just now realizing that, huh? Managed to scrub that blood off your hands yet?"